Hours after the High Court declared the contempt of court law illegal, Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman claimed he had not violated any court order.
The central bank General Manager AFM Asaduzzaman on Thursday told journalists about Rahman’s stand, days after the HC ruled why the BB Governor and one of his deputies should not be held in contempt of the court.
He said it appeared from recent media reports that the Governor had done something that invited contempt proceedings.
“As a matter of fact, Atiur Rahman has not violated any High Court order. He directed the authorities concerned to carefully follow the High Court order. This will be proved during the hearing,” said Asaduzzaman.
According to him, a person should not be held in contempt of court until the rule given in this regard is heard and the court announces an order.
The bench of Justices Md. Ashfaqul Islam and Md. Ashraful Kamal passed the ruling on Tuesday, asking Atiur Rahman and his colleague in the Banking Regulatory and Policy Department to reply within two weeks.
International Designer and Contractor, a private firm, had filed a petition, saying its client had not received over Tk 3 million paid by the Chittagong Power Development Board through Standard Chartered Bank for its work. The petition drew the show-cause order from HC.
The HC asked the BB Governor and one of his General Managers to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for not following its order.
IDC had applied to BB on Nov 29 last year to get the money with interest. They moved the HC, as the BB did not respond to their appeal.
On Feb 11, the HC ordered BB to resolve the issue within a month.
But the matter was not settled within the time set by the court, prompting the petitioner to move a contempt of court petition against the defendants, said the petitioner.-bdnews24.com
