HC summons 2 govt high ups

The High Court today summoned two government high officials including the environment secretary to appear before it on May 28 for allegedly not complying with its directive over paying service and retirement benefit to a retired official.

Another official, who also has been asked to appear before the HC, is the chairman of Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC).

In response to a review petition, the HC bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Debnath also issued a rule asking the two officials to explain why contempt proceedings should not be brought against them for violating its direction, petitioner’s lawyer Barrister Bodruddoza Badal told The Daily Star.

He said following a writ petition, the HC on November 27 last year had directed the environment secretary and chairman of BFIDC to pay Tk 31.32 lakh as service and retirement benefit to Mokarram Hossain, a former employee of BFIDC, in a month after receiving the order.

But, they did not implement the HC directive although they received the order much ago, he said, adding that Mokarram has recently filed the review petition with the HC seeking necessary order in this regard.