PM not aware of suspension orders: Obaidul Quader
HC stays Sylhet city mayor Arifuls suspension order
Court asks why provisions of Local Govt Act 2009 should not be declared unconstitutional
STAFF REPORTER
The High Court yesterday (Monday) stayed the suspension order on the Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) mayor, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, a day after the local government and rural development (LGRD) ministry issued it. The suspension order was stayed for three months. On Sunday, the LGRD ministry issued three separate suspension letters for SCC mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Rajshahi City mayor Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul and Habiganj municipality mayor Golam Kibria Gaus, soon after they rejoined their respective offices following the apex court verdicts in their favour last month.
The local government ministry had said in its suspension letters that according to Sub-section 12 of Section 60 of the Local Government (City Corporation) Law, 2009, the government can issue a suspension letter to an elected representative, if he/she is an accused in a criminal case.
However, in response to a writ petition filed by Chowdhury, the HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain within a week as to why the suspension of Ariful Chowdhury should not be declared illegal.
In the rule, the HC also asked the government to show cause as to why the provisions of the Local Government (City Corporation) Act, 2009, under which Chowdhury was suspended, should not be declared unconstitutional.
The HC bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Husain and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan fixed April 9 for holding a hearing on the rule.
Talking to reporters, the Awami Leagues (ALs) general secretary, Obaidul Quader, said yesterday: The local government ministry knows on what grounds it issued the suspension letters to the three mayors. But Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is not aware of the suspension orders.
Obaidul Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, came up with the statement while talking to reporters in the capital, after attending a function at Matuail in the Demra thana area. The LGRD ministry served a suspension order on Chowdhury on Sunday citing that a Sunamganj court on March 22 accepted a charge-sheet against him in a case over a grenade attack on an AL rally in Sunamganj in 2004, while another suspension order was issued on Rajshahi Mayor Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul, saying a Rajshahi court accepted charge-sheets against him in two cases filed under the Explosive Substances Act. Both the charge-sheets were accepted around two years ago.
Both the city mayors had earlier been given the same suspension letters for being accused in criminal cases. Earlier, the BNP-backed RCC mayor Hossain resumed his duties on Sunday morning after the Supreme Court upheld a High Court order, which declared his suspension illegal on March 5. On May 7, 2015, the government suspended him as he was charged with criminal offences.
On January 7, 2015, the government suspended Chowdhury as he had been charged with the killing of former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria.
On March 24, the Supreme Court upheld a High Court order that stayed the suspension of Ariful Chowdhury. Following the order, Chowdhury resumed office, but three hours later he received the suspension letter. Besides, Habiganj municipality mayor GK Gaus was suspended again on Sunday, as he is an accused in a criminal case over the killing of former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria.
