Staff Reporter

Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed yesterday said the government would send a reference to the President to seek the Supreme Court’s opinion under which law the trial of BDR mutineers should be held.

“There are differences of opinions as to whether the mutineers would be tried under regular laws, the BDR Act or the Army Act.

A draft of the reference was prepared yesterday’s (Wednesday) meeting. It will be sent to the President on Sunday next,” he told journalists after an in-terministerial meeting at the Law Ministry.

With the Law Minister in the chair, the meeting was attended, among others, by Law Secretary, Home Secretary, Defence Secretary and Attorney General.

The Law Minister said the decision to seek the Supreme Court’s opinion was taken on July 27 since the government could not reach a consensus as regard the law to be applied to try the BDR mutineers of the February 25-26 at Peelkhana Headquarters.

“We hoped that the President would send the reference to the Supreme Court to give its opinion,” he said.

The reference will be sent in accordance with Article 106 of the

Constitution. The Article says if at any time the President deems a

question of law has arisen or is likely to arise on an issue of

public importance, he may refer the matter to the Appellate Division for its opinion.

Meanwhile, the Law Minister at a seminar in the city yesterday said, if there is no objections from the Hindu community, the government would take initiatives to introduce ‘Hindu Marriage Registration’ which is now absent in the country.

“Hindu married women often fall in legal complication while trying to go abroad or other purposes as they do not have marriage registration deeds. In India marriage registration is compulsory,” he said as chief guest at a seminar on ‘ Access to Justice for Victims of Gender based Violence’ implemented by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs at a city hotel.

He said that the government has established an independent ‘Directorate of Legal Aid’ to provide legal assistance to the people seeking justice.