Association leaders met Chief Justice KM Hasan on Wednesday night with a request to initiate dialogue with the head of the executive for a transparent procedure in this regard 'which will save the judiciary'.

The executive body of the association decided on the boycott yesterday at an emergency meeting chaired by Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud. The meeting was convened after Wednesday's confirmation of five out of nine additional judges as permanent judges of the High Court Division.

The lawyers will gather in front of the association president's office at 8:30am tomorrow and will sit in front of Supreme Court building from 9:00 am to 10:00 am.

Association leaders asked all judges to refrain from attending their offices.

Though additional judges Sheikh Rezwan Ali, Mohammad Anwarul Huq, Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, Syed Mohammad Dastagir Hossain and Mirza Hossain Haider were confirmed on Wednesday, Khandoker Musa Khaled, AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury, M Nizamul Huq and Bazlur Rahman were rendered unemployed.

Association leaders met journalists at a press conference at association president Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud's office after the meeting.

"We have called the boycott programme to protest against lack of transparency and politicisation of appointment and confirmation of judges, proved further by dropping of four additional judges at the time of confirmation," Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud said.

"Government procedures show decisions are not guided by evaluation of the qualification of the judges rather are based on political views," he said.

He said the debates going on in different forums over the appointment of judges are tarnishing the judiciary's image with controversy. "Though we are protesting every such government move, government is not paying any heed and acting according to its whim," he said.

Asked about the association's suggestion in this regard, he said chief justice's recommendation should be placed above all, unless there is any proof of corruption or anti-state activities against any of the recommended persons.

"At our meeting with Chief Justice K M Hasan, we mentioned two points to him one is lack of transparency and other is reflection of political agenda in appointment and confirmation of judges," Barrister Mahmud told reporters in the press conference.

"As the practice must be stopped at the earliest moment, we asked the chief justice, being head of the judiciary, to move on our behalf and initiate a dialogue with head of the executive to decide on a transparent procedure," he said.

"He agreed in principle," Barrister Mahmud said, adding the chief justice will have to consult modalities for holding such dialogue.