DHAKA: The High Court Monday issued a rule upon the government to show cause as to why the decision on Tk 15 crore block allocation for each Member of Parliament is not “illegal”.

In the show-cause rule the government has been given four weeks to reply to an HC bench comprising Justice Mohammad Anwar ul Huq and Justice Syed Abu Kawser Md. Dabirushshan.

A meeting of the ECNEC (Executive Committee of the National Economic Council) on March 10 adopted the decision allocating Tk 15 crore to the account of each of the lawmakers for funding development works in their respective constituency.

The challenge came from an upazila chairman, as there has been a longstanding dispute over the overlapping jurisdiction of the MP and the newly elected UZ chairman as regards their function and conduct of uplift works in the respective area.            

Akkelpur upazila chairman Anwarul Huq Bablu of Joypurhat put up the challenge in a writ petition filed on August 8.

After the hearing Monday, the High Court issued the rule, making five top government officials respondents, including the Cabinet Secretary, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Planning Secretary.

The HC also halted effectiveness of the government decision for Akkelpur.

Lawyer Mohammad Yusuf Ali, who moved for Anwarul Huq Bablu, told journalists that local government representatives are to supervise development activities as per the Constitution.

“The block allocation for lawmakers is nothing but illegal,” he said.

BDST 1425 HRS, AUGUST 16, 2010.