HC asks to send notice to Tariuqe Rahman’s corrected address

Staff Reporter  :
The High Court on Sunday ordered the writ petitioner to send the notice of a rule that questioned the legality of publicizing BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s speech in all media to his updated address.

The High Court bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Khairul Alam also ordered the authorities concerned to publish a notification in the newspapers in this regard as an alternative way.

Earlier on Thursday, the High Court Bench asked the writ petitioner to submit a new petition after bringing a correction in the address of Tarique Rahman, so that a notice can be sent to him before hearing on the rule.

As the petitioner submitted the application, the court passed the order on Thursday.

On August 8, lawyer Qamrul Islam on behalf of the writ petitioner prayed to the HC Bench to set a date for holding hearing on the rule.

Then Justice Md Khasruzzaman, presiding judge of the bench, asked the lawyer how it will hold hearing on the rule when the respondent Tarique Rahman did not get any notice about the rule.

Lawyer Qamrul Islam said in reply that Tarique was not found at any address. However, pro-BNP lawyers strongly opposed it.

In view of this, the High Court asked the writ petitioner to submit a new application after bringing correction in the address of Tarique Rahman.

Supreme Court lawyer Nashreen Siddiqua Lina filed the writ petition on January 6 in 2015 seeking its directives to restrict publicising Tarique’s statements.

Following the writ petition the High Court on January 7 in 2015 ordered the government to immediately take steps to stop publicising BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s statements in the print, electronic and social media as long as he remains a fugitive.

It also asked the Foreign Secretary to inform it in a month on what legal ground Tarique was staying abroad.

The High Court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government and the media to explain in four weeks as to why publicising his statements should not be declared illegal.

The Inspector General of Police was asked to inform the court the status of Tarique’s passport.

In the petition, Nashreen said Tarique, being a fugitive accused, had been making abusive and seditious statements about Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, violating the Constitution.

Tarique is a fugitive in the eyes of the law as he did not surrender to any court although several arrest warrants have been issued for him in different cases, the petitioner said.

He even termed the Father of the Nation a Razakar, a friend of Pakistan and a man of corrupt disposition, Nashreen added. Along with the petition, she submitted clippings of newspaper reports on Tarique’s recent speeches.