The High Court has sought an explanation as to under what legality does Chief Whip ASM Feroz hold the office of lawmaker for Patuakhali 2 constituency.
The bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice Md Habibul Gani passed the order in response to a writ petition lodged by Bauphal municipality Mayor Ziaul Haque, who raised an accusation of loan default against the lawmaker.
The chief whip, secretaries of the parliament secretariat, Election Commission, law ministry, director of Bangladesh Bank’s Credit Information Bureau, managing director and Foreign Investment Branch deputy general manager of Sonali Bank, managing director of Patuakhali Jute Mills and returning officer of the relevant constituency have been asked to respond to the ruling within four weeks.
ABM Siddiqur Rahman, the lawyer for the petitioner, told the Dhaka Tribune that as Feroz was admittedly a loan defaulter since 2009, and his name had not been curtailed from the list of loan defaulters before seven days of his submission to the nomination officer, the AL leader could not hold office of MP as per the Representation of the People Order 1972.
Earlier on Friday, Feroz drew criticism after publicly asking for money instead of crests from those who wanted to felicitate him during a reception programme at his constituency in Bauphal.
However, Feroz has rebutted the allegation by blaming the media for “distorting his statement.”
