Terming the appointment of 11 advisers to the Prime Minister ‘unconstitutional’, a Supreme Court lawyer on Tuesday served legal notice on the government to cancel in three days their appointment, and benefits and privileges they are enjoying. Barrister Ragib Rauf Chowdhury, office secretary of pro-opposition Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum, issued the legal notice saying appropriate legal steps will be taken unless the appointments of the advisers are cancelled within the stipulated timeframe. The legal notice was served on the 11 advisers to the Prime Minister, the cabinet secretary and the PM’s principal secretary. The 11 advisers with the rank of ministers are — HT Imam, Dr Mashiur Rahman, Prof Dr Syed Modasser Ali, Dr Alauddin Ahmed, Dr Gowher Rizvi, Maj Gen (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddique, Dr Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury, Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, Barrister Shafique Ahmed, Dilip Barua and Anwar Hossain Manju. Meanwhile, five of the advisers — HT Imam, Dr Mashiur Rahman, Dr Modasser Ali, Alauddin Ahmed and Dr Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury – resigned on Tuesday in the wake of formation of an election-time cabinet. BNP joint secretary general Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, on behalf of Barrister Ragib, sent the legal notice demanding that the appointment of the advisers be cancelled as their appointments is contrary to the constitution. Quoting different articles of the constitution, he said the Prime Minister appointed the advisers violating the constitution and so all the facilities provided to them should be cancelled. Mahbub also said the Prime Minister is maintaining ‘double standard’ by appointing unelected persons as her advisers when she is against unelected persons’ assuming power. – UNB
