Foreign Minister Momen’s cabinet position challenged in High Court

A lawyer files a writ petition with the High Court over the foreign minister’s controversial remarks on Bangladesh’s relations with India

A lawyer has challenged the legitimacy of Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen retaining his cabinet position after controversial remarks on Bangladesh’s relations with India.

Momen violated the oath of office and the constitution by “requesting India to keep Sheikh Hasina in power”, Supreme Court lawyer Md Ershad Hossain Rashed alleged in a writ petition filed with the High Court on Monday.

The writ petition is on Tuesday’s business list of the panel of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Riaz Uddin Khan, said Kazi Md Mostafizur Rahman Ahad, the lawyer for the petitioner.

Mostafizur said Ershad decided to move the High Court because Momen did not respond to his legal notice that asked the minister to step down last month.

Ershad later filed a police complaint, alleging he had received death threats after sending the legal notice to Momen.

In a Janmashtami programme in Chattogram on Aug 18, Momen said: “I went to India and said Sheikh Hasina must stay [in power]. I requested them to do everything to make that happen.”

Amid a backlash over his speech, however, Momen denied having said “anything remotely resembling it”. He blamed the media for “twisting” his comments.

On Tuesday morning, he was dropped from Hasina’s entourage for her India visit at the last minute.