Lawyers at the Supreme Court (SC) today expressed satisfaction over restoration of caretaker government system. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, Nov 20, 2025 (BSS) - Lawyers at the Supreme Court (SC) today hailed the apex court judgment that reinstated the caretaker government system as 'historic'.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court earlier in the day, pronounced the judgment, reviving the election-time non-party caretaker government system, allowing civil appeals filed in this connection.

"Today is like Eid for the people of Bangladesh. The Appellate Division has unanimously delivered a verdict reinstating the caretaker government system. The people of the country will now be able to freely vote for the candidates of their choice," said senior advocate Zainul Abedin, who moved a petition filed by BNP.

His colleague senior advocate Ruhul Quddus Kazal, who also had argued for BNP before the apex court, said the Awami League government abolished the caretaker government system through the 15th amendment.

"After that, the people of the country were deprived of the opportunity to exercise their voting right. A total of 154 Members of Parliament were elected unopposed, and voting took place at the night before the election day. Justice ABM Khairul Haque's verdict reflected his personal wishes, which we could not accept in the language of law and the judiciary," he added.

Advocate Sharif Bhuiyan, who stood for the petition filed by five distinguished citizens, said the court has clearly stated in today's verdict that the judgment delivered under the leadership of ABM Khairul Haque has been entirely annulled.

"As a result, the caretaker government system has returned to the constitution. In the context of the present time, today's verdict is truly historic. The judgment delivered under Khairul Haque's leadership was of very poor quality. It marked the beginning of a 15-year authoritarian period in Bangladesh. The verdict was written with an intention," he further said.

Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir, who moved the case for Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, said this verdict will not take effect at the present time; rather it will take effect in the future. That is, the caretaker government system will not be applicable for holding the 13th national parliamentary election. It will come into force in the 14th parliamentary election, he added.

The Appellate Division full bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed this morning pronounced the unanimous judgment.