NEW YORK — Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina said, “There is no rule of law in Bangladesh. Ordinary people do not even have the right to seek legal protection. The constitutional provisions of our country are not being respected.”
She made the remarks virtually as the chief guest at a rally titled “Lawyers Demanding for Justice,” organized by the Combined Lawyers Coordination Council USA in front of the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Tuesday, May 19. The rally was held in protest against what organizers described as the unlawful removal of Supreme Court justices and political interference in the judiciary in Bangladesh.
Following the rally, the organization submitted a memorandum to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The event was presided over by Advocate Abdur Rakib Montu, convener of the Combined Lawyers Coordination Council USA, and moderated by Member Secretary Advocate Md. Minhajuzzaman Liton.
Among the speakers were Dr. Siddiqur Rahman, president of the United States Awami League; former Justice Monchurul Haque Chowdhury; freedom fighters Dr. Prodip Ranjan Kar and Tofayel Chowdhury; General Secretary Abdus Samad Azad; Vice President Abdur Rahim Badsha; Shaheen Azmal, general secretary of New York State Awami League; Imdad Chowdhury, general secretary of New York Metropolitan Awami League; Advocate Tamanna Ferdous; and Advocate Chanchal Kumar Biswas.
Others present at the rally included Sakhawat Ali, president of Bangabandhu Parishad New York Chapter; Awami League leader Nahid Reza Jony Sikder; H. M. Iqbal, president of United States Swechchhasebak League; Siraj Uddin Ahmed Sohag, general secretary of United States Bongomata Parishad; former vice president of Bangladesh Law Society Mohammad Ali Babul; adviser M. Miah Zakir; former president Morsheda Zaman; Vice Presidents Barrister Akmal Khan and Advocate Sonia Sultana; former Joint General Secretary Md. Saidur Rahman; Publicity and Publications Secretary Advocate Joyjit Acharya; Advocate Md. Sayed Ali; Rumana Akter of United States Mohila Awami League; Jahan Ara Ahmed Lokkhi; Monowara Begum Moni; Awami League leaders Sheikh Jamal Hossain, Abdur Rouf Pasha, and Nurul Islam Milon, among others.
Speakers at the rally alleged that law and order in Bangladesh have severely deteriorated, citing incidents of attacks, lawsuits, mass arrests, harassment of journalists, and killings. They called on the United Nations and the international community to intervene in order to protect human rights in Bangladesh. The speakers also demanded the withdrawal of restrictions on the Awami League, the unconditional release of detained leaders and activists, and the dismissal of cases filed against them.
The speakers further stated that Sheikh Hasina’s return to the country is “inevitable” and “only a matter of time.”
At the conclusion of the program, Convener Advocate Abdur Rakib Montu and Member Secretary Advocate Md. Minhajuzzaman Liton expressed their gratitude to Sheikh Hasina for addressing the rally virtually.
