BNP hires British lawyer Carlile for Khaleda

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has appointed British lawyer Lord Carlile for providing legal assistance to the lawyers of party chairperson Khaleda Zia in all cases.
At a briefing at the party’s central office on Tuesday, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said
that British Queen’s Counsel Carlile, also House of Lords member, would provide legal assistance and advice to the defence team of Khaleda.
Read out Carlile’s statement accepting the engagement, Fakhrul said that Carlile joined the work of legal battle for Khaleda with the statement. 
‘I am pleased to be joining the team in this important case. One cannot say too often that criminal trials have no integrity unless the evidence is presented fairly, and before a totally impartial tribunal,’ Carlile said in the media announcement.
‘I am still reading my way into the case, but I am already concerned about the process and its fairness,’ he added.
Fakhrul said that 36 cases were filed against Khaleda.
She was jailed for five years in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on February 8 and sent to erstwhile Dhaka Central Jail in old Dhaka.
The High Court on March 12 granted Khaleda bail for four months in the case, but the Appellate Division later stayed it till May 8.
Asked whether the engagement of British lawyer meant that the local legal defence team was not capable enough to deal with Khaleda’s cases, Fakhrul said, ‘Not necessarily, to enrich [the team] and take the issue into international arena.’
He said that if necessary, Carlile would come to Bangladesh for the cases.
Replying to a query, Fakhrul said that jurist Kamal Hossain were now reading the case documents and the verdict in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case and would advise if he wanted during hearing of the appeal against the verdict.
Few days ago, a BNP team, including Fakhrul, met Kamal, also the Gana Forum president, requesting to stand for Khaleda in the court.
At the briefing, Fakhrul said that former attorney general AJ Mohammad Ali along with Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Rezzak Khan, Khondker Mahbub Hossain and Zainul Abedin were pleading as defence lawyers for Khaleda.
He said it was ‘unprecedented’ that bail granted to Khaleda by High Court was stayed by the Appellate Division on Monday.
One thing was proved that there was no rule of law in the country and justice was not being ensured, Fakhrul said, adding that BNP supporters in London engaged Lord Carlile in Khaleda’s cases along with her local legal defence team considering everything and consulting lawyers there.
He said that Carlile would advise the team on the trial process and its compliance with international human rights standards and on general criminal law issues.
Fakhrul said that Carlile was the chairman of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative in London and a part-time judge for 28 years including in the High Court of Justice.
He was the United Kingdom’s independent reviewer of Terrorism Legislation for nine years.
BNP leaders Abdus Salam, Abul Khaier Bhuiyan, Ataur Rahman Dhali and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, among others, were present. 

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net