But the court had made no move so far which called into question its ‘courage’, claimed Khandker Mahbub who advises BNP chief Khaleda Zia, on Wednesday

The prime minister seemed irritated with the High Court for ordering the arrest of three Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officers for their alleged role in the abduction and murder of seven at Narayanganj.

Hasina seems to be in good humour as she briefed journalists at the Ganabhaban last Saturday after returning from her Japan tour.

She laughed out at one point of the briefing and said, “What, they’ll bring contempt charge? I don’t care.”

A lawyer, Tamzida Mila, pointed out Hasina’s remarks to High Court Justices Mirza Hussain Haider and Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar the next day.

Khandker Mahbub, leader of BNP-leaning lawyers, also took two reports by The Daily Star with comments by the prime minister and the law minister to the bench of the chief justice.

He was told to approach the relevant bench; so he went to the one of Justices Mirza Hussain Haider and Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar, who put the reports in document but gave no order.

The court is said to have responded similarly after being notified of the remarks by lawyer Tamzida Mila.

Khandker Mahbub got back to hold the press briefing by the Supreme Court Bar Association, of which he is president.

“The remarks we heard are absolutely against the Supreme Court. It was a veiled threat to the country’s topmost court.”

“The honourable prime minister told you (reporters) that she isn’t afraid of facing contempt of court. That is an extremely defiant remark.”

“We have seen respectable people being made to stand in court over small matters,” he said.

“But the chief justice and others concerned took no steps, despite this being an important matter in which the court was directly criticised.”

The judiciary will appear to be weak, if it does not act, he said.

“We did all that we could over this insult to the Supreme Court. It is the duty of the Chief Justice to protect the image of the Supreme Court. Section 108 of the Constitution clearly states that the Supreme Court can file a case of contempt over just about anything.”

He hoped the Supreme Court would take steps against the prime minister.

“Otherwise, I will be led to believe that the judiciary is incapable of acting against the government.”

Khandker Mahbub went to court with those papers because of a political motive, said Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, when asked about the BNP leader’s comments.

He recalled that BNP chief Khaleda Zia too had been disparaging about the courts. “Khaleda Zia once clearly accused a chief justice of taking bribe for having delivered a certain verdict. These very people are now coming to court with various excuses.”