'Why is Iqbal still the BCIC chairman?'

The High Court has asked authorities concerned to explain how Mohammad Iqbal is still the chairman of the BCIC when he was transferred with immediate effect more than a month ago.

The court on April 26 issued the rule upon the authorities to explain in four weeks.

Iqbal has been working as the chairman of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) despite the publication of a gazette notification about his transfer on March 28.

The bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil came up with the rule following a writ petition filed by Zakir Hossain, a former official of the BCIC, challenging the legality of Iqbal discharging the duties of BCIC chairman.

Secretaries to the ministries of public administration and industries and the BCIC chairman have been made respondents of the rule, Belayet Hossain, lawyer for the petitioner, told The Daily Star.

The government appointed Additional Secretary Shah Aminul Haq as the new BCIC Chairman on March 28. He joined the ministry on March 30 but could join work as Iqbal did not hand over the charge of BCIC. 

There could not be two chairmen in the same organisation, Belayet said, adding that Iqbal should quit the BCIC and handover charge to the new chairman following the government's transfer order and rules of his service.

Iqbal could not be reached for comments despite repeated attempts.

Sources at his office told The Daily Star that he has been lobbying to retain his position as the BCIC chairman.

On March 19, the High Court, following a writ on BCIC's irregularities and corruption in different media, issued a rule asking the industries ministry and Anti-Corruption Commission as to why the allegations of corruption and irregularities in fertiliser management by BCIC should not be investigated.