University Professor Ali Riaz of the Department of Politics and Government published commentary on the suspicious circumstances surrounding the departure of a Supreme Court justice in Bangladesh. The commentary piece titled “Sinha Saga: More questions than answers”, was published in Bangladesh’s Daily Star, October 19, 2017, and questions the political and procedural legitimacy of the ousting of Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.

The fundamental issue, however, is the separation of power and whether the executive will have supremacy. Ali Riaz

Noting that “allegations” of corruption have been vague and that explanations for Sinha’s departure have been inconsistent, Riaz argues that  the incident is about “the larger question of politics: this saga is not about individuals but about institutions. The anxiety of the executive branch of being restrained which led to the 16th Amendment prompted the situation… The fundamental issue, however, is the separation of power and whether the executive will have supremacy.”