Decision on Shahid’s JS membership likely soon

The decision whether parliament membership of independent lawmaker for Lakshmipur-2 Mohammad Shahid Islam would be cancelled will be taken in two or   three days as Kuwait court verdict copy reached the Speaker on Thursday.

The lawmaker was convicted in Kuwait on January 28.

The government has recently received the copy of a 61-page verdict of Shahid Islam’s conviction by a Kuwait court that found him guilty on charges of bribery.

Jatiys Sangsad speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury confirmed that she received a copy of the documents, including the verdict of Kuwait court, on Thursday evening.

She said that the necessary actions would be taken following the rules of business as well as the constitution.

JS secretariat secretary Zafar Ahmed Khan said the parliament’s decision on lawmaker Shaid’s membership would be completed within two or three days.

He also said that the formalities in this regard had already started as the parliament is set to take its decision according to Article 66 of the constitution.

A Kuwait court on January 28 jailed Mohammad Shahid Islam, al;so known as Papul, for four years and fined him around 1.9 million Kuwaiti dinars after finding him guilty in a case filed on charges of bribery.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Friday, after attending the opening ceremony of ‘We Colourful Fest 2021’ organised by Women and E-commerce Forum at Purbachal Club in the capital, said that the government had recently received the copy of a 61-page verdict of Shahid Islam’s conviction in Kuwait, reported United News of Bangladesh.

He said that action would be taken against Shahid Islam as per the law of the land.

‘We were concerned as in Kuwait, delivering a verdict is a lengthy process as it is Bangladesh. So I directed the ambassador there to take adequate steps in this regard,’ the foreign minister said.

Responding to a question over the legality of Shahid Islam’s membership of parliament, the minister said, ‘I have no comment on it. It will be resolved as per the regulations of the parliament.’

The government is not providing any kind of legal assistance to the convicted lawmaker and he also did not seek any such assistance, Momen said.

The foreign minister pointed out that Shahid Islam did not go to Kuwait using a diplomatic passport or as a lawmaker but he went there as a businessman.

‘He has his own establishments in Kuwait and was staying there as a resident businessperson,’ the foreign minister added.

Meanwhile, the High Court has fixed February 22 for hearing the rule issued challenging the legality of Shahid Islam’s parliament membership, who is now in a jail of Kuwait.

On August 16, 2020, Abul Foyej Bhuiya, an independent candidate of the 11th parliamentary election, filed a writ petition challenging the legality of MP Shahid’s post as he had been accused of providing fake documents, including submitting fake educational certificates, which is a violation of the Representation of the People Order 1972.

Shahid was arrested in Kuwait in June 2020 in cases related to human trafficking, bribery, residency visa trading and money laundering.

Later, the public prosecutor in Kuwait approached the central bank to freeze his bank accounts. The financial balance of the company amounts to about five million Kuwaiti dinars, including three million dinars as company’s capital.

On June 9, 2020, the Anti-Corruption Commission in Bangladesh served notices to MP Shahid Islam and his family members seeking their wealth statements.

News Courtesy:

https://www.newagebd.net/article/130687/decision-on-shahids-js-membership-likely-soon