Why This Foot-dragging ?
Separating Judiciary from the Executive is one of the very few good ideas that has not got into any controversy or faced opposition from any quarter. Rather its utility in bringing a wholesome change in the administrative process was seen by all and the need for its early implementation received universal recognition. In fact ever since the days of the three-party alliance framework this has been Awami League's own agenda reinforced, by BNP's failure to carry it out. We remember the initial enthusiasm with which law minister Abdul Matin Khasru had informed the House about government's willingness to get on with the reforms needed in this connection. A few months down the line that robust optimism seemed to give way to unsavoury tardiness.
According to a vernacular daily report published yesterday, the process has suffered setback due to government indifference. The High Court Division has said in its verdict that there is no need for constitutional revision to effect any change in this regard. Government has appealed in the Supreme Court against this ruling and for the last eight months the case has been languishing in the appellate division of the Supreme Court with the government making no effort to settle the matter.
We fail to understand how the office of a minister who is otherwise known for his professional alacrity is faltering over a matter of this import. Apparently, it boils down to lack of departmental activism.
We made this point earlier and we reiterate this again that one of the most disconcerting features of the ruling party's functioning is its apparent directional correctness early in the day and all too familiar failure to pursue it in actual terms. This negative assessment gains further ground when vital issues like the separation of the judiciary from the executive and the autonomy of the electronic media - ones that used to be the backbone of Awami League's electoral campaign -- suffer undesirable delay. Unless the ministry of law takes initiative immediately we are afraid the separation issue will be automatically buried.
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