HC adjourns hearing on rule until Oct 30

The High Court on Thursday adjourned till October 30 the hearing on a rule issued by the court earlier following a writ petition filed challenging distortion of the history of the Bangladesh Bank in a book titled "Bangladesh Bank-er Itihas" (History of Bangladesh Bank).

The High Court bench of Justice Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Mohammad Ali passed the order after hearing the parties.

At the same time, the court exempted the writ petitioner, Dr Kazi Ertaza Hasan, chairperson of Bangladesh Human Rights Development Commission, from the personal appearance in the court.

The court on June 19 summoned him to hear his explanation about the writ petition.

Complying with the HC order, he appeared in the court on the day.

Advocate AM Aminuddin and Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua appeared in the court on behalf of the writ petitioner while Barrister Ajmalul Hossain QC stood for the Bangladesh Bank.

During Thursday's hearing, BB lawyer Barrister Ajmalul Hossain QC said that the Bangladesh Bank governor had ordered a halt to the distribution of the book on September 15, 2018, following criticism on the social media. He also formed a committee headed by a deputy governor to edit the book again.

So writ petition is not maintainable in this regard, the lawyer argued.

In reply, Advocate A M Aminuddin said, "Documents don't support their claim."

Then the court said, "We will hear the rule in detail on October 30."

After hearing a writ petition, the HC bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Mohammad Ali on October 2, 2018 directed the finance secretary to immediately form a probe committee to find out the people responsible for distorting history in the book titled "Bangladesh Bank-er Itihas".

The finance secretary has been ordered to submit the inquiry report before the HC in a month.

Petitioner's lawyer then said Bangladesh Bank in December 2017 published the book, in which a picture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was not included, and his contribution in establishing Bangladesh Bank was not mentioned in detail.

In the book, pictures of then Pakistan president Ayub Khan and then East Pakistan provincial governor Abdul Monem Khan have been published, he said, adding that the independence and the Liberation War of Bangladesh have been diminished due to the act.

The HC also issued a rule asking respondents to explain in a week why the distortion of the history of Bangladesh in the book should not be declared illegal.