HC stops suspension of Rajshahi, Habiganj mayors

High Court has blocked a government move to suspend Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) Mayor Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul and Habiganj Municipal Mayor GK Gous.

The bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan passed the order on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, the two mayors filed two separate writ petitions challenging the legality of the government decision to suspend them.

The court also issued separate rules asking the government to explain why its decision to suspend the mayors should not be declared illegal.

Earlier on Sunday, the government suspended BNP-backed RCC mayor Bulbul several hours after he took over, as the Supreme Court upheld a High Court order that declared his suspension illegal on March 5.

On May 7, 2015, the government suspended RCC mayor Bulbul as he was charged with criminal offences.

On Sunday, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives issued a circular suspending him again.

Earlier, GK Gaus was surrendered to the Habiganj district chief judicial magistrate court on December 28, 2014 after filing a bail prayer as he was indicted in the former minister Shah AMS Kibria murder case on December 21 in the same year.

The court rejected his prayer and sent him to jail in the case. Later on January 5 in 2015, the local government division suspended him from the post of municipality mayor as the court accepted charges against him in the case.