The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

A Division Bench of the High Court Division of the Hon'ble Supreme Court comprising of their Lordships Mr. Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Mr. Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury yesterday after preliminary hearing of a Writ Petition filed by Barrister Mainul Hosein, former Awami League M.P. and former Adviser to the immediate past Caretaker Government, issued a Rule Nisi calling upon Nasrul Hamid Bipu, M.P. to show cause by and under what authority he is holding membership of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.

The petitioner Barrister Mainul Hosein stated in the writ petition, inter alia, that Nasrul Hamid Bipu, M.P. is a real estate businessman and Managing Director of Hamid Real Estate Construction Limited and also holding office/post of Vice President of Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB). Being such he has direct interest in the Rajuk and Housing and Public Works Ministry to get his company's building plans approved by Rajuk and monitoring of the same having direct and personal interest and thus disqualified to hold membership of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Works Ministry as per Article 75 of the Constitution and Rule 188(2) of the Rules of Procedure of the Jatiyo Sangsad.

Barrister Mainul Hosein further stated in the writ petition that after becoming Convener of the Sub-Committee of the Standing Committee, Nasrul Hamid Bipu, M.P. in his excessive exuberance to be favourably disposed to the owners of 'RANGS Bhaban', who also have real estate development business, did not care to show any restraint as required under Article 76(C) of the Constitution while making outrageous utterances alleging dishonesty not only against the petitioner but also his wife and younger son. He further stated that that 'Rangs Bhaban' was demolished as per the order of the Appellate Division of the Hon'ble Supreme Court. But Nasrul Hamid Bipu, M.P.'s statements to the press as evident from the report published in the 'Daily Jugantor' on 16.11.2009 entitled Ògymvwdi UvIqvi †f‡O †djvi mycvwik Ki‡e msm`xq KwgwUÓ would reveal that as the convener of the sub-committee of the Parliamentary Standing Committee in issue, he had pre-judged the petitioner without any notice to the petitioner whatsoever, that the petitioner's building, namely 'Musafir Tower', was constructed illegally occupying government land and hence the same should be demolished like the Rangs Bhaban though the building was completed 3 years before the petitioner became Adviser. The inclination of Nasrul Hamid Bipu, M.P.'s towards Rangs Bhaban clearly reflects his malafide intentions against the petitioner. The issue of 'Musafir Tower' by no stretch of imagination can be equated with the issue of 'Rangs Bhaban' as 'Rangs Bhaban' was demolished under order of the apex Court of the country. The petitioner further alleged that as a member of Parliamentary Standing Committee Mr. Nasrul Hamid is only to investigate the petitioner's activities as Adviser in-charge of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works. By his own conduct Mr. Nasrul Hamid has also undermined the dignity of the Parliament itself.

Barrister Masud Reza Sobhan appeared for Barrister Mainul Hosein. He was assisted by Barrister Hassan M.S.Azim, Barrister Fatema S. Chowdhury and Advocate Md. Shamim-ul Alam. On the other-hand, Mohammad Nazrul Islam Talukder, Deputy Attorney-General, represented the Government.