Former Chief Justice Khairul Haque sued on charges of sedition and forgery

Former Chief Justice and former Chairman of the Law Commission Khairul Haque has once again become embroiled in political controversy. Multiple lawsuits have been filed against him on charges of sedition and forgery. At the center of these cases are several of his landmark verdicts—particularly the ruling that abolished the caretaker government system.

A case filed at Fatulla Model Police Station in Narayanganj accuses Khairul Haque of intentionally delivering a verdict that annulled the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, an act described as anti-state and fraudulent. The case was filed by Advocate Abdul Bari Bhuiyan, former president of the Narayanganj District Bar Association and general secretary of the Fatulla Thana BNP. The case was filed on August 25 of last year. Similar lawsuits have reportedly been filed against him in Dhaka as well.

Khairul Haque was appointed as the 19th Chief Justice of the country on September 27, 2010, with his term beginning on September 30. He retired on May 17, 2011. During his tenure as Chief Justice, he delivered several significant verdicts, including the annulment of the 5th and 13th Amendments of the Constitution, the verdict in the Bangabandhu assassination case, the declaration banning fatwas, the protection of Dhaka’s four rivers, and a verdict on the issue of the proclaimer of independence.

On July 23, 2013, he was appointed Chairman of the Law Commission for a three-year term. Though his tenure ended, he was reappointed multiple times. However, he resigned from the position on August 13, 2024.

Political analysts believe that the verdict abolishing the caretaker government system made him a politically controversial figure. The BNP has long protested this verdict, calling it politically motivated. Many view the current lawsuits against him as a continuation of political opposition and pressure.

No statement has yet been received from Khairul Haque regarding the matter. Officials involved in the case have said that investigations are ongoing and that further steps will be taken in accordance with legal procedures.