No bar for ASM Feroz to contest polls
Says his lawyer, as SC stays HC decision to halt loan rescheduling
The Supreme Court yesterday stayed for eight weeks a High Court order that halted the Bangladesh Bank and Sonali Bank's decisions to allow M/S Patuakhali Jute Mills, owned by ruling Awami League Chief Whip ASM Feroz, to reschedule its loans of Tk 26.80 crore for the ninth time.
Following the SC order, there is no legal bar for the Patuakhali-2 lawmaker to contest the upcoming parliamentary polls, his lawyer Advocate AM Aminuddin told The Daily Star.
Chamber judge of the Appellate Division of the SC Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order, following a stay petition filed by Feroz.
Advocate Aminuddin said the apex court judge passed the order as the Financial Loan Court concerned on November 15 passed a “Solanama (amicable settlement) decree” in favour of the Jute Mills through a compromise between the company and the banks after Bangladesh Bank approved Sonali Bank's decision to reschedule the loan.
The issues regarding the Adalot's order was not challenged in the writ petition, on which the HC has stayed the loan rescheduling, the lawyer added.
Following a writ petition filed by Patuakhali AL President Ziaul Haque, the HC on November 22 stayed the banks' decisions.
The HC also issued a rule, asking the Sonali Bank and the BB authorities concerned to explain why their failure to discharge duties in accordance with the law over rescheduling of the bank loans should not be declared illegal.
Barrister M Amir-Ul Islam argued for Feroz, while Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud, Barrister Ajmalul Hossain and Barrister Mainul Islam appeared for the writ petitioner.