High Court seeks reports on Murshedy’s Gulshan house

The High Court yesterday sought reports on a house of ruling Awami League lawmaker and former national footballer Abdus Salam Murshedy, located in the capital's Gulshan.

Secretary to the housing and public works ministry and chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) have been ordered to submit the reports separately before the HC by January 16 next year.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat Lizu passed the order while hearing a writ petition filed in this connection.

The court also asked the secretary to provide the copy of an inquiry report prepared by the ministry on the house in question to the Anti-Corruption Commission in 15 days, so that the commission can take necessary steps.

At the same time, the HC bench ordered the media not to publish any report on the case's merit.

The media can make reports on the case's proceedings, the court said, adding that the reporters can take help from the deputy attorney general, assistant attorney general, lawyers and bench officers concerned in making reports if they don't properly understand the court proceedings.

Following the writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Syed Sayedul Haque Suman, the HC bench on November 1 this year issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why their inaction to take steps against Murshedy for illegally occupying the house of the Public Works Department in Gulshan should not be declared illegal.

Housing and public works secretary, Rajuk chairman and Murshedy were asked to submit the documents before the HC bench.

Abdus Salam Murshedy, lawmaker from Khulna-4, and senior vice-president of Bangladesh Football Federation, submitted his documents regarding the house to the HC on November 13 through his lawyer Mohammad Sayeed Ahmed Raza, but the housing and public works secretary and Rajuk chairman were yet to submit any documents to the court.

Murshedy's lawyer Raza told the HC bench yesterday that his client has been prejudiced and is victim of media trial, as some print and electronic media published reports on his house at Gulshan.

Writ petitioner's lawyer Aneek R Haque told the bench that the media published the reports based on the finding of a probe committee formed by the ministry of housing, led by a joint secretary.

                          Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik appeared for the state, while senior lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan and lawyer Zakir Hossain Masud stood for ACC and Rajuk, respectively, during the hearing.