Former Bangladesh chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha claimed that he resigned in the face of intimidation and threats by the country’s military intelligence agency, Directorate General of the Forces Intelligence (DGFI).
He made the claim in his book titled “A Broken Dream: Rule of Law, Human Rights and Democracy”. The book is available on Amazon Kindle and the e-commerce giant has published excerpts on its website. 
“Finally, in the face of intimidation and threats to my family and friends by the country’s military intelligence agency called the Directorate General of the Defense Forces Intelligence (DGDFI), I submitted resignation from abroad,” Sinha wrote.
A DGFI spokesperson, however, refuted the claim.
“We are yet to read the book and trying to collect it. It’s better not to comment before reading it. But on behalf of the organisation, I can say it’s not our job to threaten anyone. We never do it,” Brigadier General Tanvir Mazhar Siddiqi, the director of DGFI’s Public Relation and Media Communications Division, told Bangla Tribune.
“The context of his claims or who he referred to or what he tried to say (in the book) can be only said after reading the book,” he added.
In his book, Sinha narrated a series of “unfortunate and unprecedented events”, which led to the tension between the executive and the judiciary and “subsequent improper action against me”.
“I had the opportunity and honour to observe this transformation and the hindrances as a participant of the Bangladeshi judiciary since 1974 -- rising from a practitioner at a lower court in the north-eastern district of Sylhet to the highest judicial position of the country, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. But, in 2017, after delivering a historic verdict in favour of the independence of judiciary, I was forced to resign and exiled by the current government,” he wrote.
Sinha said that “the tension between the executive and judiciary” began in September 2014 when the parliament amended the Constitution empowering lawmakers to impeach top court judges.
“The 16th Amendment of the Constitution deleted the provision of removing Judges from office through a highly powerful committee of peers called the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC). The SJC, as stipulated in the constitution, also allowed the accused to have self-defense. Most importantly, the process was meant to protect the judiciary from being subjected to political vagaries and serving political leaders than the citizens,” the book reads.
In May 2016, a special High Court bench declared the amendment illegal and unconstitutional.
“Soon after the verdict, the MPs blasted judges for nullifying their legislation and began displaying sheer disrespect to the judiciary. However, the state party opted for an appeal which was heard by a seven-member full appellate bench. It was incumbent on me to head the Bench,” the former chief justice wrote.
On Jul 3, 2017, the Appellate Division rejected the state’s appeal and upheld the High Court’s order.
On Aug 1 next year, the full text of the verdict, including the court’s observations, was published and on Sept 13, the parliament passed a resolution calling for legal steps to nullify the top court’s verdict.
“Prime Minister and other members of her party and ministers blasted me for going against the parliament. Cabinet members including the Law Minister began smearing me alleging misconduct and corruption. While I remained confined at my official residence and lawyers and judges were prevented to visit me, media were told that I am unwell and have sought medical leave,” Sinha said in his book.
He claimed that he was “compelled to leave the country” on Oct 14.
“... I tried to clear the air in a public statement that I am neither unwell nor am I leaving the country for good. I was hoping that my physical absence combined with Court’s regular vacation will allow the situation to calm down and good sense will prevail; that the government will understand that the essence of the Verdict – upholding the independence of judiciary – is beneficial to the nation and the state.”
Sinha says he resigned from abroad in the face of intimidation and threats to his family and friends.