Staff Reporter :
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a stay order on a High Court direction upon the state utility Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited to pay on an emergency basis Tk 0.5 million each to the families of the 37 victims of the deadly blasts at a mosque in Narayanganj’s Fatullah.
Besides, the court orders the parties to take initiatives for immediately hearing the rule issued in this regard by the High Court. A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after hearing two petitions filed by Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company and the government filed against the High Court order.
Following a writ petition the HC on September 9 ordered the Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company to pay Tk 0.5 million each to the families of the 37 victims of the deadly blasts at a mosque in Narayanganj’s Fatullah on an emergency basis.
The court asked the gas transmission and distribution agency to make the payments in seven days after receiving the order. It also asked the deputy commissioner of Narayanganj to distribute the funds among the families.
The HC Bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam also issued a rule asking the respondents to explain as to why they should not be directed to pay Tk 5.0 million each to the families of the 37 victims of the blasts.
Later the Chamber Court of the Appellate Division on September 13 stayed the HC order after holding hearing on two petitions filed by Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company and the government.
At the same time the Chamber Court send the petitions to the regular bench of the Appellate Division for detail hearing. The apex court on Tuesday held hearing on the petitions and upheld the stay order.
Advocate Taimur Alam Khandaker and Barrister Mar-E-um Khandaker appeared in the hearing on behalf of the writ petitioner, while Attorney General AM Amin Uddin represented the state.
A total of 37 victims were brought at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery after the explosions at West Tallah Baytus Salat Jame Mosque of Narayanganj after Esha prayers on September 4. Among them, 28 people have already died.
Later Barrister Mar-e-um Khondaker, also a resident of Narayanganj, filed the writ petition on September 7 seeking HC directives to give Tk 5.0 million as compensation to the families of the victims who died and suffered injuries from the blast.
