UNO harassment: Govt seeks investigation on Barisal judge in letter to Supreme Court

The government has sought investigation into several allegations against a Barisal judge who had ordered a civil servant to prison over defamation charges.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 25 July 2017, 09:06 AM
Updated : 25 July 2017, 07:58 PM

The law ministry asked the Supreme Court for steps concerning Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ali Hossain in a letter issued on Tuesday.

It said the judges' transfer was important for safekeeping the image of the judiciary. The term of his current post is complete, it added.

"Besides, considering the current situation, it is important to investigate and establish the truth behind the incident," the letter said.

The High Court Division's Additional Registrar Sabbir Foyez confirmed receiving the ministry's letter.

"The Supreme Court's General Administration Committee will let the law ministry know about its decision," he told bdnews24.com.

The judge recently paid Tk 93,950 to the district administration for staying in the Circuit House for eight months and two days. The maw ministry's letter also accused of not paying fare for travelling on Green Line buses. 

Hossain made news headlines after turning down a bail plea from Barguna Upazila administration chief or UNO Tariq Salmon.

While serving as the Upazila administration chief or UNO of Barisal's Agailjhara, Salmon used a drawing of Nation's Founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by a fifth-grader for the invitation card for Independence Day event.

Salmon, now stationed in Barguna, was sued by Barisal Bar Association President Obaidullah Saju for using the drawing, which he claimed was distorted.

On Jul 19, Salmon appeared in court and said in his defence that the portrait was one of the winners of an official drawing competition for school children for National Children's Day.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Hossain scrapped his bail plea and the public servant was kept in a lock-up of the court for two hours until the same judge granted him bail.

Netizens flooded social media with angry posts that included photos of Salmon being taken to jail from the court with handcuffs.

Civil servants' body, Bangladesh Administrative Service Association or BASA also condemned the incident and called for actions against those involved in a statement.

A day after the court hearing, the Awami League suspended Saju, who sat on the party's Barisal district unit body, over the lawsuit and sought his explanation.

The next day, police withdrew six of its men, including three officers, who were on duty in Barisal court that day.

On Sunday, the Awami League leader dropped the charges and pleaded to the court to withdraw the lawsuit, which was granted.

The government on Monday stripped Barisal Deputy Commissioner Gazi Md Saifuzzaman and Barguna DC Bashirul Alam of official responsibilities while the Cabinet Division has opened a probe.

The public administration ministry said they have been removed as punishments for failing to perform their duties.

An additional secretary-led panel will investigate whether the case against Salmon and the subsequent events breached the law, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told the media on Monday.