HC issues rule over recovery of benefits

The High Court (HC) on Sunday directed the government to submit a report on expenditure of the state for all the benefits and properties provided to the family members of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman under two acts enacted to provide especial security to them.

Law secretary, home secretary, finance secretary and director general of Special Security Force have been asked to submit the report to the court within 30 days.

The HC also issued a rule asking the authorities to explain as to why they should not be directed to recover the benefits and facilities already enjoyed by the family-members of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Muhammad Mahbub Ul Islam passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed in this regard seeking necessary directives.

Supreme Court lawyer and Assistant Secretary General of the Human Rights Support Society, Mohammad Moniruzzaman, filed the petition on August 25 this year as the public interest.

In the petition, he also challenged the legality of two acts, enacted to give special security to the family members of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The two laws are --- 'Father of the Nation Family Members' Security Act 2009' and the 'Special Security Force Act 2021'.

However, the court did not hold any hearing on the issue, as the interim government has already decided to abolish the acts considering them as discriminatory to the constitution. On August 29, the advisory council of the interim government took the decision.

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