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The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Wednesday concluded hearings on appeals challenging the 15th Amendment to the Constitution and fixed Thursday for delivering its verdict.
The hearing was conducted by a bench headed by the chief justice.
Senior lawyer Sharif Bhuiyan represented Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar and other appellants, while senior lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir appeared for Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. Barrister ASM Shahriar Kabir represented freedom fighter Mofazzal Hossain. Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kajal appeared for the state.
On November 13, the Appellate Division granted leave to appeal against the High Court verdict, after which the hearing began.
The 15th Amendment, passed by Parliament on June 30, 2011 and assented to by the President on July 3, 2011, abolished the caretaker government system and introduced several constitutional changes.
These included constitutional recognition of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the Father of the Nation, increasing reserved seats for women in Parliament from 45 to 50, restoring secularism and freedom of religion, and reintroducing nationalism, socialism, democracy and secularism as the state’s fundamental principles.
The amendment also declared unconstitutional seizure of state power an act of treason punishable by the maximum penalty and changed the election timeframe from within 90 days after Parliament’s term ends to within the preceding 90 days.
The amendment was challenged by Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shujan (Citizens for Good Governance), and four others, who sought its annulment. The High Court issued a rule in August 2024 and delivered its judgment on December 17, 2024.
Following that verdict, the petitioners, Jamaat-e-Islami, freedom fighter Mofazzal Hossain and several intervenors, including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Gono Forum, filed appeals.
The appellants argued before the Appellate Division that the entire 15th Amendment should be struck down.
