Dhaka, Aug 26 (bdnews24.com)—The High Court on Sunday ordered authorities not to stop BNP's Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's from travelling abroad or returning home.
The bench of Justices Kamrul Islam Siddiqui and Ashraful Kamal passed the interim order after hearing a writ petition and the order will remain in effect until the appeal is disposed of.
The court also asked the Home Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Deputy Inspector General (Headquarters), Dhaka district's Deputy Commissioner, Officer-in-Charge (Immigration) to reply in four weeks to its two rulings.
They were also asked to explain why the move to bar Fakhrul from going abroad will not be deemed beyond legal authority and why they will not be ordered to not obstruct him from going abroad and returning home or to not impose any ban.
Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon argued the petition for the BNP leader after pressing the plea in the morning , while Assistant Attorney General Jahangir Alam represented the state at the hearing.
Fakhrul moved the court after Bengali-language daily Bangladesh Pratidin ran a report on Aug 6 regarding a travel ban on leaders of 18-party coalition.
According to the report, the government has imposed embargo on overseas travel of 78 leaders of BNP-led coalition. The list of the leaders was sent to all immigration check posts while air, land and river ports, and bordering areas were alerted about the matter.
Fakhrul is on the top of the list, said the report.
Barrister Khokon said his client was due to attend a meeting in the US on Aug 29 and the government did not contest that media report.
"So, my client's apprehension is that he might be prevented from leaving the country," added Khokon.
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