Why MP Papul and Harunur’s seats should not be declared vacant, asks HC

The High Court has issued separate rules asking why the electoral constituencies of MP Mohammad Shahid Islam alias Kazi Papul from Laxmipur-2 and BNP leader Harunur Rashid from Chapainawabganj-3 should not be declared vacant.

Papul, who is currently detained in Kuwait on money laundering and human trafficking charges, is accused of submitting forged academic certificates and false information with his election statement while MP Harunur is jailed for five years for dodging tax.

The High Court bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque issued the rules after hearing two separate writ petitions filed against the MPs on Tuesday.

Lawyer Sheikh Awsafur Rahman made the case for the appeal filed against Papul while lawyer Dewan MA Obaid Hossain represented the petitioner against Harunur.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, the chief election commissioner, secretaries to the Election Commission and the parliament, deputy commissioner of Laxmipur and Papul have been asked to answer within four weeks.

Meanwhile, the law secretary, cabinet secretary, chief election commissioner, secretaries to the Election Commission and the parliament, Anti-Corruption Commission chairman, deputy commissioner of Chapainawabganj and MP Harunur were also given four weeks to respond to the rule.

An independent candidate who had run in the 2018 election from Laxmipur-2 constituency filed the petition against Paplu, who won the seat also as an independent candidate.

Harunur was sentenced for five years in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission for enjoying the privilege of importing a car without paying tax as a member of parliament and selling the vehicle later in a breach of rules last year.