Will Bangladesh’s caretaker government return? Court to deliver crucial verdict today

Today, the High Court of Bangladesh is set to announce an important decision on whether the country’s caretaker government system will be reinstated. 

The ruling comes after a legal challenge to the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, which ended the non-partisan caretaker government system. The court has started reading its verdict.

At around 11 AM on Tuesday, December 17, the bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury began delivering the judgment. The bench had earlier decided that December 17 would be the day for announcing the ruling.

On December 4, two writ petitions challenging the 15th Amendment were heard in the High Court. The petitioners included several political parties such as the BNP, Jamaat, and Gano Forum. These groups have raised concerns over the validity of the amendment.

The 15th Amendment, passed in Parliament on June 30, 2011, under the Awami League government, ended the caretaker government system. It also gave constitutional recognition to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the "Father of the Nation."

In response to this amendment, five prominent individuals, including Badiul Alam Majumdar, the Secretary of Citizens for Good Governance (Sujan), filed a writ petition on August 18, challenging its legality.

After the initial hearings, the High Court issued a rule on August 19, asking why the 15th Amendment should not be declared unconstitutional.

During the hearing, the petitioners’ lawyers pointed out that "the 15th Amendment includes both the state religion Islam, the phrase ‍‍`Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim,‍‍` and secularism, which are contradictory and inconsistent with each other."

The lawyers also argued, "This amendment has destroyed the system of free and fair elections in the country."

As the court prepares to announce its decision today, the country waits to see what this ruling will mean for the future of Bangladesh’s political system.