Stand release of Pirojpur judge
HC questions govt decision
Judge withdrawn to tackle situation: Law minister
Staff Reporter, Dhaka
The High Court yesterday issued a rule asking the government to explain why the stand release of Pirojpurs District and Sessions Judge Md Abdul Mannan should not be declared illegal. The HC bench comprising Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir issued the rule following newspaper reports on the law ministrys decision to withdraw Judge Abdul Mannan. The HC asked the law and justice division secretary of the law ministry to give explanation in a week.
The law ministry on Tuesday transferred Pirojpurs District and Sessions Judge Md Abdul Mannan soon after his court issued an order to send former Awami League lawmaker AKMA Awal and his wife Laila Parvin to jail after rejecting their bail
petitions in connection with three corruption cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Supreme Court lawyers Barrister Abdul Quaium Liton and Advocate Eunus Ali Akond placed the media reports published in this regard on national dailies and sought necessary order over the matter.
They told the HC that the ministry decision on Judge Abdul Mannan is direct interference in the independence of judiciary and contradictory to the spirit of the separation of judiciary. Later the HC bench issued the rule and fixed next Wednesday for holding hearing on the rule.
Judge was withdrawn to tackle situation: Anisul
Meanwhile, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq yesterday said the Pirojpur district and sessions judge was withdrawn to tackle the situation created over the bail pleas of district Awami League president AKM Abdul Awal and his wife, reported national news agency BSS.
He (judge) behaved very harshly and offensively with Awals lawyers and members of district bar council, making the lawyers to take a decision of boycotting the court and people to come out on the streets. As a result, to tackle that situation, the judge was withdrawn, Anisul said at a press briefing held at the ministry yesterday afternoon.
The law minister said allowing or scrapping bail plea is completely the jurisdiction of court. But, if the courts behaviour creates any such situation that makes it difficult to maintain law and order and rule of law, then we have to take a step. We have taken the decision under such circumstances and here the rule of law was not violated, he added. Anisul Huq said the district judges behaviour with bar members was improper and it had created that situation.
Fisheries Minister SM Rezaul Karim influenced judge: AKMA Awal
Meanwhile, a day after his bail in corruption cases, former Awami League MP from Pirojpur-1 constituency AKMA Awal yesterday brought corruption allegations against Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim, reported private news agency UNB. Awal, also president of district Awami League, made the allegations at a press conference at the party office in Pirojpur. Awal alleged the minister influenced Judge Abdul Mannan for not granting him bail.
The former MP also alleged Minister Rezaul Karim is undermining partys dedicated leaders and choosing those involved in the politics of BNP and Jamaat for different posts. The minister has also grabbed a contract work of Tk 100 crore involving his brothers illegally, alleged AKMA Awal.
Awal also accused SM Rezaul Karim of resorting to falsehood about his participation in the Liberation War when he was only nine years old in 1971. Contacted, Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim termed the allegations against him false and fabricated.
