Transfer of the Pirojpur district and sessions judge after he denied bail to a former member of parliament and Awami League leader AKMA Awal and his wife Laila Parvin has created a controversy in Bangladesh.

The judge was transferred immediately after he denied bail to AKMA Awal and his wife on Tuesday in a corruption case filed by the Anti Corruption Commission last year. The judge has been attached to the law ministry.

After his transfer govt gave charge to another judge who granted bail to the accused law maker later in the day.

On Wednesday, the High Court of Bangladesh issued a notice to the government on the issue seeking its comment within a week on why the move should not be declared illegal.

Supporters of the former MP put up road blocks and organized a demonstration in the court premises protesting against the denial of bail to AKMA Awal and his wife.

After his release Awal alleged that another minister of the government influenced the judge to deny him bail.

Criticising the government for controlling the judiciary opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir raised question about the independence of the judiciary on Wednesday.

Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Dr Iftekharuzzaman expressed concern deep concern over Judge Abdul Mannan’s transfer.

In a press release issued on Wednesday he said that the incident will further increase political influence over judiciary.

Defending the decision of the government, law minister Anisul Haq said that the district judge was transferred to control the situation as the lawyers were protesting against him after denial of bail to the former MP.

