SCBA won't bid adieu to Justice Manik

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has decided not to organise a farewell ceremony for Appellate Division's Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik, who will retire on October 1, for a host of reasons.

The SCBA, dominated by pro-BNP lawyers, said this in a resolution adopted at a general meeting on Sunday with its Vice-President ASM Moktar Kabir Khan in the chair.

The resolution said the meeting condemned Justice Manik because after he was appointed a judge of the High Court and Appellate Division of the SC, the image of the independent judiciary and the SC was tarnished.

"Supreme Court lawyer MU Ahmed died due to him (Justice Manik)," said the resolution, signed by Kabir Khan and SCBA Secretary AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon.

It said Justice Manik had misbehaved with many lawyers, including advocate Mozammel, and sent 14 lawyers including barrister Ashraf to jail through cases.

So all general lawyers in attendance opposed bidding farewell to him, it said.

It said the chief justice had reportedly mentioned that Justice Manik was a British citizen when he was sworn in as judge. The allegation of concealing this information is regrettable, the resolution said.

It said the SCBA meeting requested the chief justice not to give him salary, allowance and pension benefits until finishing an inquiry into his anomalies through the Anti-Corruption Commission.

He opposed SC lawyers' benefits and development activities, and his behaviour was totally against the interest of the lawyers and the SC, it said, calling him a "controversial judge".

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said he did not agree with the SCBA resolution, as the pro-BNP lawyers adopted the resolution and brought allegations against Justice Manik with a political and malafide intention.

Meanwhile, SCBA President Khandker Mahbub Hossain yesterday said the president could send Justice Manik's letter about the chief justice to the parliament for a decision.

Justice Manik on Sunday wrote to the president for impeaching Chief Justice SK Sinha, accusing him of "gross misconduct" and "violating oath".