Ex-chief justice SK Sinha seeks political asylum in US

Former chief justice SK Sinha has sought political asylum in the United States.

“I have no status in this country. I am a refugee here. I have sought political asylum but there has been no decision yet,” he said at a program to launch his book ‘A Broken Dream’ in Washington on Saturday.

The program was chaired by former US Ambassador to Bangladesh William B Milam.

Sinha, Bangladesh’s first non-Muslim chief justice, left the country on October 13 last year for Australia. 

He later sent his resignation letter on November 10. The president accepted his resignation on November 14.

The former chief justice claimed to have received invitations from UK’s House of Commons, Geneva and the European Union (EU) but could not go there as his asylum decision was pending.

Sinha said he was not feeling safe in the US adding that he was “so scared” he stayed at home all the time.

He claimed that officials of a government intelligence agency monitors his US residence round the clock and take picture of those who go into the house.

Sinha’s autobiography ‘A Broken Dream’ was released in mid-September. 

In the book, he detailed his early life, appointment as the chief justice, the separation of powers and the judiciary’s independence, the 16th constitutional amendment and its aftermath, ethical values of the judges and politicians, and the circumstances behind his resignation.

The former chief justice in his book claimed that he had stepped down and was exiled in the face of intimidation and threats from the current government. He also said the DGFI posed threats to his friends and family.

Sinha said he only described his last days as the chief justice and that he did not take any financial assistance from anyone for publishing his book.