Verdict on Nizam Hazari’s JS membership Aug 17

The High Court today fixed August 17 for delivering verdict on a writ petition challenging the legality of holding the post of lawmaker by Nizam Uddin Hazari, an Awami League leader in Feni.

The HC bench of Justice Md Emdadul Huq and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir set the date after concluding hearing arguments from the counsels on the petition. 

Shakhawat Hossain Bhuiyan, a Jubo League leader of Feni, filed the petition with the HC on June 8, 2014 praying to the court to declare Nizam disqualified for contesting in the parliamentary polls and holding the office as a lawmaker for his alleged forgery in getting early release from jail in a criminal case.

READ ALSO: How Nizam Hazari still an MP, HC asks

He said in the petition that a Chittagong court on August 16, 2000 had sentenced Nizam to 10 years’ imprisonment in an arms case, but he served in the jail for only five years.

Nizam was sent to Chittagong jail after he surrendered to lower court on September 14, 2000 and he got released from jail on December 1, 2005 through fraudulence, he said. 

Shakhawat stated in the petition that Nizam was supposed to serve in the jail till September 13, 2010, and then he was supposed to be qualified for contesting in the parliamentary election five years after his scheduled release date (September 13, 2010) as per the constitution.

According to the constitution, the petitioner said, Nizam cannot be a candidate for contesting the parliamentary election before September 2015.

Shakhawat added that Nizam had provided false information about his serving jail sentence to the EC for contesting the January 5 election to Feni-2 constituency.

He prayed to the court to declare Nizam disqualified for contesting the parliamentary polls and holding his office as a lawmaker.

The HC issued a rule asking under what authority Nizam remains a parliament member even after his alleged forgery in getting early release from jail.

The court also issued a rule upon the government, the Election Commission and Nizam to explain as why Feni-2, the constituency the AL leader was elected from, should not be declared vacant.