The next national election will be held under the current interim government even if the caretaker system is reinstated, said Advocate Shishir Monir, counsel for Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.

He made the remarks on Tuesday (28 October) after the party concluded its hearing before the Appellate Division, which is reviewing the verdict that abolished the caretaker government system. 

The hearing took place before a full bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed on the fourth day of proceedings.

During the hearing, Monir described the caretaker government as a “unique and exceptional idea” but said it was abolished due to a “lack of foresight among political leaders.”

On the third day of the hearing, the lawyer had told the court that the caretaker system was scrapped in a “planned and deliberate” manner.

Earlier, on 27 August, the Supreme Court allowed appeals challenging the 2011 verdict that had nullified the caretaker system, paving the way for fresh hearings.

Appeals were later filed by SUJAN Secretary Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Jamaat Secretary General Golam Parwar, and two others.

The caretaker government system, introduced to oversee neutral elections, was declared unconstitutional in 2011 by the Appellate Division led by then Chief Justice A.B.M. Khairul Haque through a majority verdict.