NN Online:
‘The High Court has issued a rule questioning why the Ministry of Commerce’s decision to dissolve the executive committee of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) and appoint its Deputy Secretary, Motakabbir Ahmed, as administrator should not be declared illegal.
The division bench comprising Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque and Justice Aynun Nahar Siddika passed the order on Wednesday, August 6. The court also scheduled a hearing on the matter for next week.
Earlier, on Monday (August 4), the Ministry of Commerce issued an order (Memo No. 26.00.0000.157.33.015.90 (Part-3)-72) dissolving the current ATAB board and appointing Deputy Secretary Motakabbir Ahmed as administrator.
Challenging the legality of this order, a member of the existing executive committee filed a writ petition with the High Court.
Following the initial hearing, the court issued a rule asking the government to explain why the order issued by the Ministry of Commerce should not be declared unconstitutional and beyond legal authority.
The court further instructed all concerned to refrain from taking any actions that might affect the subject matter of the petition until the case is resolved.
The petition states that ATAB is a registered professional organization governed by an elected executive committee under statutory procedures. Removing the committee without judicial investigation or internal organizational process is unlawful and a violation of the organization’s regulatory framework.
