Supreme Court Bar Association President Habibul TMlairr Bhuiyan yesterday filed a petition before the Chief Justice to draw contempt charges against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her alleged remarks concerning granting of bail to 1200 accused in various cases by the High Court on August 25-26.

“Wherefore I pray that (your Lordship may be pleased to direct Sheikh Hasina Wazed.'the honourable Prime Minister of Bangladesh, residing at Ganab-havan. Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. Dhaka to appear before the Hontde Court in person and to show cause as to why appropriate proceedings for committing contempt of Court of highest de-

gree shall not be drawn against her and why she shall not be punished adequately in accordance with law", the petition said.

Describing the alleged re-marks as an attack on the Judi-ciary, Bhuiyan told a news conference at his Bar Association office that he moved the petition after informing the CJ on Sunday and urged the Journalists to help uphold the independence of the judiciary, rule of law and human rights.

On the two days of August 25-26 preceding the vacation, he said. 367 persons received bails after disposal of 155 petitions.

Bhuiyan also urged the journalists to become more respon-

sible in reporting such matters. The prime minister's statements on January 29 came after press reports that had said 1200 persons were granted bail on the two days.

Bhuiyan said he did not make the journalists party to it.

"Rather we waited that they (those who reported it) would apologise. But they did not even after statements on the contrary by the law minister and parliamentary adviser (Suranjit Sengupta) that the figures were not correct as mentioned by some newspapers. Nor the PM did so."

But the SC Bar president came in for criticism from Shahabuddin Ahmed, a senior Vice-President of the association. who charged him for not consulting the association members prior to filing of the petition. "The president is misusing his chair. He cannot even talk to the press on the matter as it is sub-judlce," Ahmed told reporters after Bhuiyan had finished.

Earlier, answering a question Bhuiyan said the "matter is not sub-judlce as long as CJ accepts or rejects it."

Bhuiyan told a questioner that he was not a criminal lawyer. He admitted that he belonged to a certain political party but pursued ball in some cases on the two days as 'a large number of party activists come to him for their various legal problems'.

He denied suggestions that he was moving the petition “for political purposes".

“It is only to protect the independence of the judiciary and the supreme Judiciary," he said.

He said the court has the right to grant bail to a petitioner and people to seek redress from the Supreme Court which is the symbol of Justice. "None should question a deci-

sion of a judge as he has every right even to give a wrong Judgement. It is the matter of 1 wisdom of a judge. The Judgement can be challenged only in the court, not otherwise."

He denied he came under Eressure from anyone not to old the press conference. The decision was taken at a meeting of the executive committee attended by 11 oufrof its 14 members. he claimed. Abdul Awal, general secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association, former president Khan-daker Mahbubuddin, Kazi Golam Mahbub, Barrister Nazmul Huda. Barrister Sheikh Razzak Ali. Barrister Abdur Razzak. Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah and Nitai Roy Choudhury were present during the press conference.

The senior vice-president of the bar association said Bhuiyan had no right to use the office of the association's president to file a petition in this regard unless he had the endorsement of 2000 members.

ABM Bayezid, assistant secretary of the association, was beside him. Advocate Sahara Khatun, Kamrul Islam. Rezaur Rahman and Jahangir Hossain Selim among others were present.