AL questions Moudud's talking against military courts
Staff Correspondent
Awami League (AL) yesterday said Law Minister Moudud Ahmed's comments questioning the legality of martial law courts run counter to the constitution as the fifth and seventh amendments have legitimised the country's two marital law regimes."In fact, this very person [Moudud] piloted the two amendments to the constitution and thus helped Zia and Ersahd legitimise their military power. Now, he is shifting the blame on martial laws to disown his responsibility in manoeuvring presidential amnesty to a killer," Suranjit Sengupta, a senior AL leader, said. Suranjit along with other senior leaders of the party was addressing a press conference at party's Dhanmondi office. He said if martial law is a 'jungle rule' as described by the law minister, then the government better place a bill before parliament to repeal the fifth and seventh amendments. He said those two amendments that the AL has always deplored, legitimised military rules of 1975-1979 and 1982-1985. Citing article 150 of the constitution, he raised the question about the president's authority to grant pardon to a killer who was convicted in a martial law tribunal as both the fifth and seventh amendments say that no one can call into question the activities under a martial law period. The AL lawmaker asked the president to refer the murder case to the Supreme Court under article 106. "The president should refer the case to the Supreme Court in the greater interest of democracy and the rule of law," he said. President Iajuddin Ahmed in January this year granted mercy to Mohiuddin Ahmed Jhintu, president of the ruling BNP's Sweden chapter. Jhintu was sentenced to death 22 years ago in a double-murder case. He had managed the mercy in only 10 days after his surrender to a court and left the country. Another convict in the same case has already been executed. Suranjit said, "Moudud had served both the military rulers and his political career thrived with their blessings. And it's funny that he's now speaking against the amendments that were piloted by none other than him." "How could the law minister declare the judgement of a martial law tribunal illegal when the constitution itself legitimises all activities of martial law regimes?" he questioned. The AL leader renewed the party's demand for making public all the documents leading to the presidential pardon to Jhintu. Describing the law minister as 'the biggest liar', Suranjit demanded Moudud's resignation.
| 
