High Court sets writ petition order on BCB committee for Tuesday

The High Court will deliver its order on Tuesday on a writ petition that sought freezes on the functions of the current committee of Bangladesh Cricket Board or BCB.

The petition filed by former BCB director Mubasshar Hossain on Sunday also sought to halt the cricket body's annual and special general meetings.

The move followed legal complications over a five-year-old letter by the National Sports Council or NSC that sought changes to the BCB's charter.

Justice SM Emdadul Hoque and Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty scheduled the order after hearing ended on Monday.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam argued on behalf of BCB and NSC. Former Attorney General AJ Mohammad Ali and barrister Mahbub Shafik represented the petitioner.

The attorney general argued that 'the successful' current board of directors was elected in 2013 using the same method as in 2008: councillors were elected who later formed the board.

The functions of the committee are therefore legal, he said. 

In 2013, when the NSC moved for reforming the BCB charter, BCB's former director Mubasshar and former executive committee member Yusuf Jamil Babu went to court to challenge the plan.

The Appellate Division this year ruled that the power to reform the charter should lie with the BCB.

Attorney General Alam mentioned the top court's verdict, and said: "The Appellate Division would not have given the BCB committee the authority to renew its charter if it had deemed it incapable."

The current committee has decided to convene the annual and special general meeting on Oct 2.

Seven people, including the youth and sports secretary and the BCB president, have been named defendants in the petition that seeks to stop the meetings from convening.   

Mubasshar claimed that the verdict 'favours his side' and sent legal notices to halt the functions of the committee and the meetings.

He moved the High Court after not receiving any response during the timeframe.