Haji Selim faces contempt rule

Haji Mohammad Selim

The High Court today issued a contempt of court rule against independent lawmaker Haji Mohammad Selim for obstructing law enforcers to implement its 2011 directive to protect the historical Lalbagh Fort in Old Dhaka.
In the rule, the court asked Selim to show cause in two weeks why contempt of court proceedings should not be brought against him for obstructing the law enforcers in executing its order.
The HC bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal came up with the rule after hearing a contempt of court petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.
During hearing, HRPB’s lawyer Manzill Murshid told the court that the HC on October 26, 2011 directed the government to evict illegal structures in and around Lalbagh Fort to protect its beauty and nature.
Some law enforcers led by an executive magistrate reportedly went to Lalbagh Fort area on March 30 to evict illegal structures from the area, but they failed to do that as Haji Mohammad Selim obstructed them, which is similar to contempt of court, he argued.