Writ petition seeks judicial enquiry

A Supreme Court lawyer yesterday filed a writ petition with the High Court, seeking its order for conducting a judicial inquiry into an altercation between a physician and authorities over the doctor's movement pass in Dhaka on April 18, the video of which went viral on social media.

Md Eunus Ali Akond submitted the petition as a public interest litigation to the office concerned of the HC, praying to the court to direct the government for taking stern action against executive magistrate Sheikh Mamunur Rashid and law enforcers for misbehaving with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University's Associate Professor Dr Sayeda Shawkat Janny during the incident.

In the petition, the lawyer also challenged the legality of operating mobile court by the executive magistrate and holding trial on the spot.

Akond told The Daily Star that Mamunur and police have humiliated and harassed Dr Sayeda at Elephant Road area by confining her car in the name of knowing her identity, even though she showed her professional identity mentioned in her car's sticker and gown.

The executive magistrate and law enforcers have misused their powers, which is illegal and unconstitutional, he said.

He said Mamunur was conducting a mobile court during the incident, which is also illegal, as operating judicial activities by executive officers is illegal and contradictory to Article 22 of the constitution and Supreme Court directives.

Akond said he will place the petition before a High Court bench for its hearing today. Earlier, on April 19, an HC bench refused to pass any order on the incident. On that day, Akond placed newspaper reports published on the incident before the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Sardar Md Rashed Jahangir, seeking necessary order on the issue.