The search committee has dropped former army officer Abdur Rashid from its list of five more distinguished citizens invited to express their views on the composition of the next Election Commission.
Published : 31 Jan 2017, 11:34 PM
The former major general's inclusion had raised eyebrows when his being accused in three cases over embezzlement of money came to light.
The search committee decided to hear the opinions of five more eminent citizens after meeting 12 on Monday.
On Tuesday, Rashid's appeal against a High Court order over the cases was sent for hearing to Appellate Division Chamber Judge Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, who is also heading the search committee.
The search committee then checked the matter, one of its members told bdnews24.com on condition that he cannot be named.
Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam, whose division is providing secretarial help to the committee, told bdnews24.com in the evening: "He (Rashid) has been asked not to come to (Wednesday's) meeting."
Rashid, as the chairman of Kingdom Builders Limited, is accused of embezzling Tk 26.85 million in the three cases started by Boshudha Builders Managing Director Abdul Jabbar Khan in 2012.
The ex-army officer moved the Appellate Division when the High Court on Jan 17 this year ordered the trial court to dispose of the cases within six months.
Chamber Judge Justice Syed Mahmud issued a 'no order' on Rashid's appeal on Tuesday, which means the High Court decision stays, said Zaman Akter Bulbul, the lawyer for the plaintiff.
According to the case dossier, Boshudha Builders' Jabbar Khan alleged he signed a deal with Kingdom Builders in 2008 to buy three flats for Tk 26.85 million. But Kingdom Builders did not hand over the flats even though Kingdom Builders had taken the money.