HC refuses to accept writ over re-fixing date of Shab-e-Barat

The High Court today once again refused to allow a religious organisation to file a writ petition seeking its directive upon Islamic Foundation to fix the night of April 20 for observing the Shab-e-Barat.

The High Court bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahsan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader said that the Islamic Foundation has already declared that Shab-e-Barat will be observed on the night of April 21.

The Islamic Foundation has come to the decision after holding a meeting with the National Moon Sighting Committee.

“If we interfere on this issue at this stage, a confusion will be created,” Justice FRM Nazmul Ahsan said when the religious organisation’s lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan prayed for a permission to file the writ petition.

The court may interfere if the organisation move any petition for making the moon sighting committee more active in the future, the bench said.

When Khurshid Alam Khan was insisting the court for giving permission to Majlisu Ruiatul Hilal to file the writ petition, Justice FRM Nazmul Ahsan said “we feel embarrassed.”

On April 15, the same High Court bench did not allow the organisation to file the writ petition. On that day, the bench asked them to wait until today as a committee formed on April 13 has already submit its report to the Islamic Foundation resolve to ease confusion over the date of the holy night.

Following the report, the Islamic Foundation on April 16 further declared that the Holy Shab-e-barat will be observed on the night of April 21.

Deputy Attorney General ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar and Assistant Attorney General Md Saiful Alam vehemently opposed the prayer for permission to move the writ petition.