Jamaat MPs file writ challenging district-wise responsibilities assigned to ministers, whips

A writ petition has been filed in the High Court challenging the government's decision to assign ministers, state ministers and whips district-wise responsibilities to supervise and coordinate government activities.

Eleven Jamaat-e-Islami MPs, including Najibur Rahman Momen, filed the petition today (30 August). The cabinet secretary has been made a respondent.

The petitioners' lawyer, Mohammad Shishir Manir, said a similar district-wise distribution of responsibilities in 2001 had been challenged in the High Court, which later declared the decision unconstitutional.

"According to the Rules of Business, the Constitution of Bangladesh, and the judgment of the apex court, such a decision is beyond legal authority and illegal," he said.

The 11 petitioners are Najibur Rahman Momen of Pabna-1, Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem of Dhaka-14, Md Golam Rabbani of Rangpur-5, Md Nurul Islam Bulbul of Chapainawabganj-3, Md Masud Parvez of Chuadanga-1, Muhammad Azizur Rahman of Jashore-1, Sheikh Monjurul Haq Rahad of Bagerhat-2, Shafiqul Islam Masud of Patuakhali-2, Rashedul Islam of Sherpur-1, Salauddin of Gazipur-4, and Mohammad Zohirul Islam of Chattogram.

Earlier, the government assigned 30 ruling party ministers, state ministers and whips responsibilities for supervising and coordinating government activities in various districts, including development and welfare works, maintaining law and order, controlling corruption and drugs, and ensuring good governance, transparency and accountability.

The Cabinet Division issued a gazette notification on Thursday (27 August), distributing the responsibilities among the 64 districts following a Cabinet decision.

According to the notification, the Cabinet had observed with concern that during the previous regime, development allocations in various districts were allegedly looted through widespread corruption, with some of the funds allegedly laundered abroad and others used for activities linked to public safety, state security and social problems, including drugs.

The notification said the Cabinet is collectively responsible to Parliament and the public for state governance, including development, anti-corruption measures, law and order, good governance and national security.

It cited Article 55(2) of the Constitution, which states that the executive power of the Republic shall be exercised by or on the authority of the prime minister in accordance with the Constitution.

It also referred to the Rules of Business, under which the prime minister may permit a departure from the rules when considered necessary.

The notification said the matter was discussed in the Cabinet and that the district-wise assignment was made in light of the relevant constitutional provisions, the Rules of Business and the essence of the High Court Division's judgment in Writ Petition No. 3512/2003.

It added that the responsibilities were assigned without curtailing the legal powers of local government institutions or other constitutional and statutory bodies.