HC summons 4 Moulvibazar arbitrators Feb 24

The High Court (HC) yesterday summoned four local arbitrators in Moulvibazar to appear before it on February 24 to explain their conduct of organising a fatwa against a local couple.
In response to a writ petition, an HC bench also directed the officer-in-charge of Moulvibazar Police Station to ensure the appearance of the four Foyzul, secretary of a local mosque committee, and influential Askar Mia, Nanu Mia and Azad Mia.
The bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain directed the deputy commissioner and the superintendent of police of Moulvibazar to provide necessary security to the couple.
It also issued a rule upon the government to explain within three weeks why it should not be directed to take legal action against the arbitrators.
Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh yesterday filed the petition following a report published in the daily Janakantha on February 10.
The report said Rabeya Khatun and her husband Koychor Mia of Barokapon village of Ekutana union of Moulvibazar sadar upazila are on the run in fear of the fatwa.
The arbitrators in the fatwa directed Rabeya to marry a man, the report said.
Advocate Manzill Murshid appeared for the petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General ABM Altaf Hossain stood for the government.