As per the Supreme Court verdict, the two ministers - Food Minister Qamrul Islam and Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq – need not resign from their jobs, Law Minister Anisul Huq has opined.
“The ministers have not lost the legality of holding offices as the SC verdict did not state it in its verdict. Even, no law in our country is available for that the ministers can lose their posts duo to violating their oaths of office,” said the minister.
Anisul made the statement at a press conference held in his Secretariat office on Wednesday.
He hosted the briefing to make clarification on several law related incidents erupted recently.
On March 5, two ministers at a roundtable discussion criticised Chief Justice SK Sinha for his reported remarks that “the prosecution is doing politics with the trial of condemned war criminal and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali.”
The Supreme Court summoned the duo to appear before it on March 15 for their reactions to the remarks of Chief Justice about the prosecution as regards the trial of Mir Quasem Ali in a war crimes case on March 8.
On 14 March, ministers Qamrul Islam and Mozammel Huq offered unconditional apology to the court for their remarks.
The apex court on March 27 had rejected the unconditional apology of the two ministers and fined them Tk50,000 each for making controversial statements about the chief justice and the judiciary in connection with war crimes cases against executed Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali.
On Monday, a Supreme Court lawyer challenged the legality of two cabinet members holding high office or sitting in parliament following a recent observation by the Supreme Court that the two ministers had violated their oaths of office
Petitioner Yunus Ali Akond sent Food Minister Qamrul Islam and Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque legal notices seeking explanations within 24 hours on the issue. He also notified them of filing writ petitions if the notices were not answered.
In the writ filed with the High Court on Monday, Yunus Ali Akond sought that the court orders ministers Qamrul Islam and AKM Mozammel Haque to explain why they are still in office after the court’s judgment.
Citing the Apex court’s judgment, the petitioner said that under the Public Servants (dismissal on conviction) Ordinance-1985, a government service holder will be dismissed if s/he is fined with Tk 1,000 or more.
BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed on Monday, at a press briefing at the party’s Naya Paltan central office, demanded immediate resignation of ministers Quamrul and Mozammel who have been convicted of contempt of court.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
