Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Prof Dr. Asif Nazrul today spoke at Supreme Court Bar Association Auditorium in Dhaka. Photo : BSS

DHAKA, Aug 26, 2025 (BSS) - Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Prof Dr. Asif Nazrul today said the fallen fascist Awami League (AL) considered carrying out oppression against the people as a constitutional power. 

“Fascist Awami League did not value the will of the people rather tried to establish the power to torture as their own right,” he said while addressing as a panelist at a book launching ceremony at Supreme Court Bar Association Auditorium.

The book titled “Revolutionary Constitutionalism: And Why It Was Essential to Declare the Fifteenth Amendment Unconstitutional” written by Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court Dr. Sharif Bhuiyan was launched on the occasion. 

Regarding the politics of the AL, he said, their politics was basically to humiliate Ziaur Rahman and put Bangabandhu in the highest position. 

Terming the 15th Amendment as terrible, the adviser said, "Sometimes I used to think - did the Awami League make such a constitutional amendment out of stupidity or arrogance? I think they were arrogant." 

They thought that their power was so unwavering that even if they launch a torture machine, the people would not be able to speak out, he said.

He said, “Why does the Prime Minister have so much power? Why are there so many restrictions on fundamental rights? These debates about the Constitution did not exist once. When I started journalism around 1986-87 - the words ‘transparency’ or ‘accountability’ were not in use. But now these are being talked about firmly. This book will give a new dimension to the study of the Constitution.”

Calling for the study of the Constitution to continue, the adviser said, “It is very important to know the history of our country’s Constitution. Despite such rich debates over Constituent Assembly, many do not notice these. If we popularize constitutionalism through discussions ourselves, people will gradually become interested in it.”

Judicial Administration Training Institute (JATI) Director General and National Consensus Commission Member Justice Md. Emdadul Haque, Head of Election Reform Commission and National Consensus Commission member Dr. Badiul Alam Majumder, Professor and Dean of the Law Department of Dhaka University and member of the Constitution Reform Commission Dr. Muhammad Ekramul Haque, lawyer, writer and translator Millat Hossain also spoke on the occasion.

Barrister Sara Hossain, Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court and Executive Director of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), chaired the event.

Eminent jurist and constitutional expert Barrister Dr. Kamal Hossain was also present at the event.