Bangladesh: 12 high court judges barred from judicial activities amid students' protest

'Twelve HC judges will not be allocated benches for now when the court reopens from October 20,' the report quoted Supreme Court Registrar General Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan

Dhaka: Bangladesh's Supreme Court on Wednesday suspended 12 High Court judges from judicial activities amidst protests by students seeking the removal of pro-Awami League "fascist judges".

Ousted premier Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government was toppled following widespread protests against a controversial job quota system in August. Hasina fled the country on August 5 amidst student-led mass protests.

Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed took the decision after hundreds of protesters participating in the Anti-discrimination Movement besieged the High Court premises on Wednesday, calling for the removal of "pro-Awami League fascist judges", The Daily Star newspaper reported.

"Twelve [HC] judges will not be allocated benches for now, meaning they will not be allowed to take part in judicial activities when the court reopens from October 20," the report quoted Supreme Court Registrar General Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan as saying.

Beginning their protest on the Supreme Court premises, the students demanded the resignation of judges affiliated with the Awami League, who "toe the party line", the bdnews24.com news portal reported.

Following the announcement, the agitating students postponed the movement till Sunday.

Bhuiyan explained that the decision was made as the 12 judges had not resigned and no legal framework existed for removing them, according to the report.

Convener Sarjis Alam, who led the protest, said in a speech that the students were calling for the resignations of judges connected with Hasina, the Awami League, "the fascist government" and "partisan" judges, it said.