Bangladesh High Court has declared the new contempt of court ordinance invalid, and observed that it undermines the spirit of the constitution and independence of the judiciary.

Ruling on a writ petition challenging the legality of some provisions of the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2008, the High Court bench also observed that the ordinance curtails the magistracy of the Supreme Court.

It said when a new parliament was expected to take over within a few months it was not necessary to promulgate the ordinance replacing the Contempt of Court Act 1926.

Zahurul Alam has more on the story.