Declare state of emergency: 3 SC lawyers write to president, PM

Three Supreme Court lawyers today sent a letter to the president and prime minister, requesting them to declare state of emergency due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

Advocate Shishir Monir, Advocate Asad Uddin and Advocate Jubaidur Rahman served the letter to the offices concerned of the president and prime minister, saying that the state of emergency needs to be declared in the country for the safety of people and economy -- threatened by the outbreak of novel coronavirus.

Article 141A of the constitution states, if the president is convinced that a grave emergency exists in which the security or economic life of Bangladesh, or any part thereof, is threatened by war or external aggression or internal disturbance, he may issue a Proclamation of Emergency [for 120 days].

In their letter, they also said that at least seven countries including the US and Australia have already declared state of emergency due to the outbreak of coronavirus.