The Supreme Court administration today sent a letter to the president, informing him (president) that Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, who is now on leave on health grounds, would go to Australia to see his daughter and to receive treatment.

Registrar of the Appellate Division of the SC Md Zakir Hossain signed the letter saying that the chief justice may leave for Australia on October 13 or any nearest date and may stay there till November 10, a high official at the Supreme Court told The Daily Star asking not to be identified.

He also said the letter has been sent to the law ministry for forwarding it to the president through the prime minister’s office.   

Replying to a question, the official said that as per relevant rules SC administration informs the president about the chief justice’s leave and going abroad so that president assign another judge of the apex court to discharge the duties of the chief justice during his absence.

The chief justice himself can extend the tenure of the leave, he added.     

Law Secretary ASSM Zahirul Haque Dulal told this correspondent that his office has received a letter from the SC authorities about the chief justice’s going to Australia. 

Chief Justice SK Sinha has been on one month’s leave since October 3.

Meanwhile yesterday, the pro-BNP faction of the Supreme Court Bar Association led by its President Zainul Abedin and Secretary AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon staged demonstration on the SCBA premises protesting what they said the confinement of the chief justice.

Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Abed Raza, Taimur Alam Khandker, Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, Umme Kulsum Rekha, among others, spoke on the occasion.

On the other hand, ruling Awami League-backed lawyers’ body Bangabandhu Awami Ainjibi Parishad held a meeting at the North Hall of the SCBA building protesting against what they said the politicizing the court premises by pro-BNP and Jamaat lawyers regarding the CJ's one-month leave.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, Awami League presidium member Advocate Abdul Matin Khasru, Bangabandhu Awami Ainjibi Parishad’s Convener Advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun and its member secretary Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Bangladesh Bar Council Vice Chairman Abdul Baset Majumder, among others, spoke to the gathering.