HC stays Dinajpur municipal mayor's suspension for a month

The High Court yesterday stayed for a month a government order that suspended Dinajpur Pourasava mayor Syed Jahangir Alam on charge of irregularities.

Following a petition filed by Jahangir, the court also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the suspension should not be declared illegal.

The LGRD ministry, without issuing any show cause notice, suspended Jahangir on December 3 for appointing "excessive" manpower at his office and reducing municipality tax.

The HC stayed his suspension on the ground that Jahangir was not accused in any criminal case and the government had not given him any scope to defend himself, said the petitioner's counsel, Ruhul Quddus Kazal. Jahangir is a BNP candidate for the upcoming Pourasava election on December 30.