Staff Reporter :
The High Court (HC) on Sunday issued a rule asking Kazi Reazul Hoque to explain in four weeks under what authority he had been holding the office of Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
A HC bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Mohammad Ullah passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Supreme Court Lawyer Eunus Ali Akand.
On November 9, Eunus Ali filed the writ petition with the HC challenging the legality of the appointment of Reazul Hoque as the NHRC Chairman.
In the petition, Eunus Ali said that according to section 2(1) and 6(3) of Human Rights Commission Act,
2007, a person cannot be appointed as member of the Commission for more than two terms. Reazul was earlier appointed as a NHRC member for two terms in 2010 and 2013, he said in the petition.
A chairman of the Commission is also its member, he added.
Besides, as per section 6(2) of the Act, the NHRC Chairman has to be a legal expert. But the present chairman is not a legal expert either, he said adding that the appointment was given violating the Human Rights Commission Act. ‘So, he legally cannot hold the post,’ said the SC lawyer.
On August 2, Kazi Reazul Hoque was appointed NHRC Chairman for three years.
The High Court (HC) on Sunday issued a rule asking Kazi Reazul Hoque to explain in four weeks under what authority he had been holding the office of Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
A HC bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Mohammad Ullah passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Supreme Court Lawyer Eunus Ali Akand.
On November 9, Eunus Ali filed the writ petition with the HC challenging the legality of the appointment of Reazul Hoque as the NHRC Chairman.
In the petition, Eunus Ali said that according to section 2(1) and 6(3) of Human Rights Commission Act,
2007, a person cannot be appointed as member of the Commission for more than two terms. Reazul was earlier appointed as a NHRC member for two terms in 2010 and 2013, he said in the petition.
A chairman of the Commission is also its member, he added.
Besides, as per section 6(2) of the Act, the NHRC Chairman has to be a legal expert. But the present chairman is not a legal expert either, he said adding that the appointment was given violating the Human Rights Commission Act. ‘So, he legally cannot hold the post,’ said the SC lawyer.
On August 2, Kazi Reazul Hoque was appointed NHRC Chairman for three years.
