Paris, April 29 (IANS) A leading international human rights organisation strongly condemned the Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association’s (SCBA) decision to cancel the nomination papers of more than 20 lawyers allegedly affiliated with the Awami League, effectively barring them from contesting the upcoming SCBA elections scheduled for May 13–14, 2026.
Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) described the move as “unjust” and a “blatant and dangerous attack” on the core principles of democracy, the rule of law, and the independence of the legal profession.
It stated that excluding candidates on the basis of alleged political affiliation amounts to “political discrimination that has no place in a credible legal institution.”
Citing media reports and verified sources, the rights body said that the SCBA on Tuesday cancelled the nomination papers of over 20 candidates allegedly affiliated with the Awami League.
The decision followed an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) held in Dhaka, where members of the SCBA reportedly decided to ban pro-Awami League lawyers from contesting its upcoming annual elections, citing the legal prohibition on the party’s activities.
The JMBF also cited reports stating that around 100 pro–Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and National Citizen Party (NCP) lawyers had earlier requested the bar leadership to convene the meeting to decide on barring pro–Awami League lawyers from contesting the election.
“By imposing such restrictions, the SCBA has abandoned its duty to uphold fairness and neutrality and has instead chosen to act as an instrument of political exclusion. This move sets a deeply troubling precedent, transforming a professional body into a platform for partisan control and silencing dissenting voices within the legal community,” said Shahanur Islam, Founder President of JMBF.
JMBF also criticised the requirement that lawyers must formally declare non-affiliation with a specific political party in order to be eligible to contest.
“This is a coercive and unacceptable condition that directly violates the fundamental right to freedom of association and expression. Such measures reflect authoritarian tendencies and undermine the very foundations of a free and independent legal profession,” said the rights body.
Asserting that no lawyer should be denied the right to participate in professional elections on political grounds, the JMBF said, “The legal profession must not be weaponised to serve partisan interests.”
The rights body called for the immediate and unconditional reversal of this “unlawful and discriminatory” decision as well as the reinstatement of all disqualified candidates, while ensuring a free, fair, and inclusive electoral process.
JMBF also urged the national and international legal community to take note of the “erosion of democratic and professional norms” in Bangladesh.
–IANS
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