HC asks parties not to give opinion till completion of ACC inquiry
Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Wednesday asked Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin, and Barrister Syed Sayedul Haque Suman, a Supreme Court lawyer, and other concerned not to give any opinion over the corruption and money laundering allegations against BFF officials in spending FIFA fund, until the inquiry of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) into the matter is completed.
The High Court bench of Justice Zafar Ahmed and Justice Md Bashir Ullah passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by BFF President.
Earlier, on June 12, BFF President Kazi Salahuddin filed the writ with the High Court seeking its directive to remove all ‘defamatory’ statements given by Barrister Suman against him from the public domains.
Lawyers Ajmalul Hossain and Momtazuddin Fakir appeared in the court hearing on behalf of BFF President, while Syed Sayedul Haque Suman himself argued in his own defence.
Earlier on May 15, another HC bench ordered the ACC to hold an inquiry into whether there has been any fraud, embezzlement or corruption in spending the money that the BFF received from the International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) and the government.
The ACC was asked to submit a report within four months complying with the order.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed seeking its directive on the ACC to probe the corruption allegation raised against the officials concerned of Bangladesh Football Federation after FIFA imposed a sanction last month.
The High Court also issued a rule asking the respondents to explain as to why their inaction in holding an inquiry into the corruption allegations against the BFF officials, including its President Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin, Senior Vice President Abdus Salam Murshedy and former General Secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag, should not be declared illegal.
Barrister Suman submitted the petition on May 14 as a public interest litigation after allegations raised against BFF officials including its President Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin and Senior Vice President Abdus Salam Murshedy of committing “corruption”, “money laundering”, “forgery” and “embezzlement of money”.
BFF General Secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag was handed a two-year ban by FIFA. FIFA’s press release suggested that Shohag used “false and/or falsified documents” to justify payments made by the BFF with FIFA funds.
This incident has raised questions about the actions of BFF as a whole including Salahuddin and Murshedy as they cannot shrug off the blame of damaging Bangladesh’s image before the world and their involvement and assistance in financial irregularities forging documents and wrongdoing.
