14-party to face 16th amendment verdict legally, politically: Nasim

Leaders of the Awami League-led 14-party alliance on Sunday vowed to legally and politically face the Supreme Court verdict scrapping the 16th amendment to the constitution.

Speaking at a press conference after a meeting at the AL chiefs Dhanmondi political office, they termed it irrelevant, unacceptable and motivated.

Coordinator of the 14-party combine and also health minister Mohammad Nasim said they are rejecting the apex court observations on a legal parliament, Liberation War and Bangabandhu.

As part of it, were demanding that the verdict be scrapped and it has to be scrapped. Well face it legally and politically.

He said people know about the great Liberation War and Bangabandhu very well. Its a universal truth that Bangabandhu led the Liberation War. People wont accept what was said in the verdict. They wont pardon it, too, he said, adding that that is why the review of the verdict is a must.

Samyabadi Dal general secretary and former industries minister Dilip Barua said parliament was defamed through the verdict.

I dont know where the chief justice was during the Liberation War. Mainly, he dared to show this as he knows nothing about the Liberation War.

He also said the chief justice gave a scope to the BNP-Jamaat clique so that they could engage in conspiracies.

About SK Sinhas call for not doing politics over the apex court verdict, Workers Party general secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha said, ...its decent to overlook the words stated in this verdict regarding the most important matter of the country-- Liberation War.

He also demanded review of the verdict.

Jatiya Party (Manju) secretary general Sheikh Shahidul Islam said not only the 14-party, but also the entire country is aggrieved with this verdict. So, this verdict should be abolished.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president and information minister Hasanul Haq Inu said after any verdict of the apex court, it becomes the property of people. There could be criticism over that property and this not the defamation of the court, he said.

He said the role of Bangabandhu was undermined through the verdict. Its motivated, out of the context and irreverent. It came to undermine the Liberation War and peoples power.

Awami League joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said peoples rights were snatched through the verdict. In the constitution, it was stated that people will be the owner of everything. All power will be in the hand of public representatives, and this is a natural thing. You can say that this verdict is against the constitution, he said.