The High Court yesterday questioned the legality of the office held by engineer Mosharraf Hossain, as the housing and public works minister, since he is alleged to be holding a profitable position in a private company simultaneously.
The court also issued a ruling upon the authorities concerned to explain within three weeks as to how Mosharraf became a minister while holding the post of chairman of Peninsula Chittagong Limited, and why the post of the minister should not be declared vacant.
The HC asked the registrar of the Joint Stock Companies and Firms to submit the audit reports and documents on the Peninsula Chittagong in the meantime.
Mosharraf, the cabinet secretary and the registrar of the Joint Stock Companies and Firms have been made respondents to the rule.
The bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal issued the order after hearing a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer ZI Khan Panna.
Shahdeen Malik moved for the petitioner while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Deputy Attorney General Motaher Hossain Saju represented the state.
Panna filed the petition on November 23 as a public interest litigation mentioning that Mosharraf’s holding the post of a minister is contradictory to the constitution where it prohibits a minister and a state minister from holding any office, post or position of profit or emolument.
