SC bars GM Quader from performing duties as JaPa chief

The Appellate Division on Wednesday upheld the verdict of a lower court that barred GM Quader from performing his duties as the chairman of Jatiya Party (JaPa) on Wednesday. 

A three-member bench led by Chief Justice Hasan Foyez Siddiqui passed the order.

Besides, the Appellate Division bench also asked Dhaka Joint District Judge’s Court to quickly dispose of the petition filed by Quader against its verdict that prevented him from acting as JaPa chief.

During the hearing, Sheikh Mohammad Sirajul Islam stood for GM Quader, while Sayed Ahmed Raja represented petitioner Ziaul Haque Mridha.

‘The Appellate Division order bars Quader from performing activities as JaPa chief. Now we need to conduct a hearing on the petition filed against him by Mridha,’ said Sirajul.

Earlier on Monday, the Appellate Division fixed December 13 for delivering its judgment on the temporary embargo on the political activities of Jatiya Party chairman GM Quader.

On November 30, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division M Enayetur Rahim stayed the High Court order allowing Jatiya Party chairman GM Quader to perform the duties of his post.

On November 29, HC cleared the way for GM Quader to perform his duties as Jatiya Party chairman by staying the lower court embargo till January 3 following a revision petition.

Ziaul Haque Mridha filed the case against GM Quader on October 4.

On October 30, Dhaka Joint District Sessions Judge court-1 issued a temporary embargo on the political activities of GM Quader.

On October 6, several lawyers including Sheikh Sirajul Islam and Kalim Ullah Majumdar stood for GM Quader with a petition to withdraw the ban on his political activities at the court.

In the petition, the lawyers also urged the court to lift the embargo to play his role as chairman as per the constitution of the party that was dismissed by the same court on November 16.

Later, Quader filed a revision petition with the HC challenging the lower court order.

According to the case statement, the party’s founder HM Ershad died on September 14, 2019.

Quader declared himself as chairman of the party through forgery at a council on December 28, 2019 when a writ petition case was pending at the High Court.

Later, Quader as party chairman fired several leaders including Ranga, Gazipur metropolitan unit’s advisor Ataur Rahman Sarkar and organising secretary Sabur Sikdar, among others, by exercising his power as per the constitution of the party.

Besides, Ranga was also removed from the post of presidium member of the party on September 14 and Advocate Ziaul Hoque Mridha from the party on September 17.

In the case, orders were sought to declare all removals from December 28, 2019, to September 17, 2022 and council as illegal while the next council of the party to keep stayed unless the HC writ petition is disposed of.