HC continues hearing on NCT deal with UAE firm despite petitioner’s no-confidence

A High Court bench today continued, for the third consecutive day, its hearing on a writ petition challenging the legality of the government’s move to award a contract to UAE-based DP World for container handling at the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) in Chattogram, despite the petitioner earlier expressing no confidence in the same bench.

Bangladesh Jubo Arthanitibid Forum, a philanthropic organisation, filed the petition as a public interest litigation with the High Court last year.

During today’s hearing, the bench of Justice Zafar Ahmed also fixed next Sunday to resume the hearing, as the chief justice sent the petition to this bench for its disposal.

Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque placed arguments on behalf of the state.

Earlier in the day, writ petitioner’s lawyer Syed Mamun Mahbub prayed to the High Court bench of Justice Zafar to adjourn the hearing for the day.

Syed Mamun Mahbub, a senior advocate of the Supreme Court, told the bench that the writ petitioner has filed a civil miscellaneous petition (CMP) with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, challenging the bench’s order passed yesterday that rejected a prayer for withdrawal of the matter from this bench.

The CMP will be moved before the Supreme Court soon, he said.

However, the bench of Justice Zafar continued hearing the matter.

Subsequently, Advocate Syed Mamun Mahbub, along with Barrister Md Anwar Hossen, the filing lawyer of the writ petitioner, left the courtroom, court sources said.

Earlier yesterday, Bangladesh Jubo Arthanitibid Forum’s President Mirza Walid Hossain expressed no confidence in the bench of Justice Zafar through his lawyers AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Ahsanul Karim and Syed Mamun Mahbub during a hearing on the matter, saying that the petitioner apprehended that he would not get justice from the bench.