Politics
Parties Back Caretaker Government—But Only for the Future, Not Now
A recent Supreme Court verdict restoring Bangladesh’s caretaker government system has sparked renewed debate, as the upcoming national election will not be held under this arrangement. The ruling clarifies that the caretaker mechanism will apply only in future elections, potentially from the 14th parliamentary polls onward.
Political parties that long demanded the immediate reinstatement of the caretaker system—including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami—submitted review petitions seeking the arrangement only “prospectively.” Their revised stance has raised questions among analysts, who note that the court’s decision reflects the arguments presented by the petitioners themselves.
BNP lawyer Zainul Abedin argued that an interim government is already in place and preparations for the election have begun, making an immediate caretaker government impossible. He cited the 1991 election overseen by Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed as an example of a fair poll conducted under an informal interim setup.
Jamaat’s lawyer Shishir Monir said the court deliberately emphasized a prospective implementation to avoid political controversy about the current government’s tenure. Lawyer Sharif Bhuiyan echoed this, adding that without an active parliament, the legal process for forming a caretaker administration cannot proceed.
However, senior Supreme Court lawyer Manzil Morshed believes political parties have shifted from their earlier demands, which ultimately shaped the court’s reasoning.
Attorney General Asaduzzaman described the verdict as historic, stating that the restored caretaker system is now constitutionally valid and must be implemented within 15 days of the next parliament’s dissolution. He also remarked that the earlier judgment led by Justice Khairul Haque was flawed and may have violated penal code provisions.
He further clarified that this ruling cannot be reviewed again, and that it does not conflict with the ongoing case regarding the 15th amendment, which abolished the caretaker system in 2011.
Sharif Osman Hadi, an independent candidate for Dhaka-8 and spokesperson of Inqilab Manch, has undergone a primary surgery at Dhaka Medical College Hospital after being shot earlier on Friday. Hospital director Brigadier General Md Asaduzzaman confirmed in the evening that Hadi was being transferred to Evercare Hospital following a decision by his family.
According to the hospital authorities, Hadi suffered a bullet injury to the head and additional injuries to the chest. The injury to his leg is believed to have occurred when he fell from the rickshaw during the attack. Although the family initially considered transferring him to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), they later opted for Evercare Hospital, which has already been prepared to receive him.
Hadi was shot at around 2:20 pm on Friday while travelling by rickshaw along the Bijoynagar culvert road. Unknown assailants on a motorcycle opened fire at him and fled the scene. A bullet pierced just below his left ear. His colleagues rescued him and took him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 2:40 pm.
Law enforcement agencies are investigating the incident, as no information about the attackers or the motive has yet been confirmed.
Tensions flared at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Friday as supporters of Sharif Osman Hadi reacted angrily to the arrival of BNP candidate Mirza Abbas. Hadi, an independent candidate for Dhaka-8 and spokesperson of Inquilab Manch, is currently undergoing treatment after being shot earlier in the day.
Around 4 pm, Mirza Abbas reached the hospital’s emergency entrance, where Hadi’s supporters began chanting “fake, fake” slogans against him. The situation quickly became heated, prompting army personnel on site to escort Abbas inside under security. Supporters continued chanting outside the emergency unit.
After checking on Hadi’s condition, Abbas left the hospital around 4:30 pm without speaking to the media.
Earlier, around noon, Hadi was shot by assailants who approached on motorcycles while he was traveling by rickshaw in Bijoynagar. Following his admission, additional police and army personnel were deployed around Dhaka Medical College Hospital, including at the emergency gate. An army vehicle entered the hospital premises at 3:50 pm.
Hadi had previously reported receiving threats from around 30 domestic and international phone numbers last November. In a Facebook post on 14 November, he stated he had been threatened with murder, arson at his home, and sexual violence against his mother, sister and wife.
Sharif Osman Hadi, an independent candidate from Dhaka-8 and spokesperson for Inquilab Manch, is now on life support after being shot in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area on Friday. Brigadier General Md Asaduzzaman, director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, confirmed his critical condition in a briefing given after 4 pm.
Hospital authorities reported that the bullet penetrated inside Hadi’s head after entering through the area beneath his left ear. Emergency physician Dr Mostak Ahmed said Hadi was in extremely critical condition upon arrival and was given CPR before being shifted to life support.
The attack occurred around 2:20 pm in the Box Culvert area of Bijoynagar when assailants on two motorcycles opened fire at Hadi and fled immediately. Misbah, who brought him to the hospital, said Hadi had just finished Juma prayers and was travelling by rickshaw when the attackers fired at him.
Deputy Police Commissioner Muhammad Talebur Rahman said police were still gathering details, but initial reports suggest Hadi was on a rickshaw when motorcycle-borne gunmen shot him.
Last month, Hadi claimed he had received threats from around 30 domestic and international phone numbers. In a Facebook post on 14 November, he alleged threats of murder, arson at his home, and sexual violence targeting his mother, sister, and wife