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The High Court on Tuesday stayed for one month the effectiveness of a notification issued by the Local Government Ministry suspending Dinajpur Municipality Mayor Syed Jahangir Alam, who was recently sentenced to one month in jail by the Appellate Division in a contempt of court charge.
The High Court bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Mayor Jahangir Alam.
The HC at the same time issued a rule upon the respondents to explain as to why the issuance of the notification should not be declared illegal.
Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the writ petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy represented the state.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on October 12 this year sentenced Dinajpur Municipality Mayor Syed Jahangir Alam to one month's imprisonment and fined him Tk 0.1 million for making derogatory remark on one of its judges.
The Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan also ordered Jahangir to surrender before the lower court concerned of Dinajpur in a week in connection with the contempt of court petition filed against him.
Complying with the apex court order, Mr Jahangir surrendered in a Dinajpur court and the court sent him to jail. After serving the jail, he also paid the amount that the apex court imposed on him.
However, Ministry of the Local Government on October 31 this year, through a notification, suspended Jahangir Alam from the post of Mayor, while he was serving the jail term.
After getting released from jail, he filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the legality of the notification. Upon hearing on the writ petition, the HC stayed the effectiveness of the notification.
Earlier, Jahangir made comments on a YouTube channel about Justice M Enayetur Rahim, a senior judge of the Appellate Division, centring a judgement in a case against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
After that, four SC lawyers, Mohammad Harun-Or-Rashid, Mahfuzur Rahman Roman, Md Moniruzzaman Rana and Shafique Raihan Shawon, submitted a contempt of court petition with the Appellate Division.
On August 18, the Appellate Division issued a contempt of court notice against Jahangir asking him to explain as to why he should not be punished for the remarks.
Jahangir, who is the Assistant Organising Secretary (Rangpur Division) of BNP's central committee, appeared before the Appellate Division and sought an unconditional apology for his remarks. However, the apex court on October 12 sentenced him to one month's imprisonment and fined him Tk 0.1 million.