No bar on hoisting foreign flags during World Cup

The High Court has cleared the way for hoisting national flags of foreign nations across the country during the upcoming FIFA World Cup tournament.

The HC today rejected a writ petition that challenged the legality of hoisting national flags of foreign nations across the country at different times, particularly during the FIFA World Cup.

Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Shahidul Karim rejected the writ petition filed by Mohammad Nurul Amin, a freedom fighter from Gaibandha,considering that the petition was not properly moved before it.

There is no legal bar for hoisting national flags of foreign countries during the FIFA World Cup following the HC order, Advocate Abdul Halim, the lawyer for the petitioner, told The Daily Star.

Nurul Amin submitted the writ petition to the HC on June 4 seeking its directive on the government to stop people from hoisting national flags of foreign countries.

The petitioner said in the petition that supporters of different countries that are participating in the FIFA World Cup have been seen hoisting the flags of those countries during previous tournaments in violation of the law.

No foreign flags can be flown without specific permission from the government, except in foreign diplomatic offices, as per Bangladesh Flag Rules-1972, he also said in the petition.

Earlier on May 28, another HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed had refused to hold a hearing on the same writ petition which was filed on May 27.

The bench also dropped the petition from its hearing list, Assistant Attorney General Saifur Rahman said.