HC issues rule challenging third-term Viqarunnisa ad hoc committee led by Zabiullah

The High Court has issued a rule asking why the ad hoc committee of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College, headed by BNP Standing Committee Member and Prime Minister's Adviser Ismail Zabiullah for a third consecutive term, should not be declared illegal.

The court also directed the authorities to hold an election to form the governing body of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College within 90 days.

A High Court bench led by Justice Khizir Ahmed Chowdhury passed the order today (9 September), following a hearing on a writ petition filed in the public interest.

The court asked the education secretary, director general of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, chairman of the Dhaka Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, college inspector, president of the school's ad hoc committee and its principal to respond to the rule within four weeks.

Supreme Court lawyer Md Yunus Ali Akand filed the writ petition on 13 August, challenging the formation of the current ad hoc committee.

Speaking to reporters, Yunus Ali Akand said Ismail Zabiullah, who is an adviser to the prime minister with the rank of a minister in the Ministry of Public Administration and a BNP Standing Committee member, has served as president of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College's ad hoc committee for three consecutive terms.

"Under the law, an ad hoc committee cannot be formed more than twice, and a person cannot serve as its president or member more than twice. But Mohammad Ismail Zabiullah has become president of the ad hoc committee for three consecutive terms," he said.

He said the 2024 Governing Body Act also stipulates that if an election is not held, the president and members of that committee cannot remain in the subsequent committee.

"Despite failing to hold the election, the same president and members have again formed the current ad hoc committee," he said.

Yunus said he had filed the writ petition on 13 August challenging the current ad hoc committee.

"After the hearing, the High Court issued a rule asking why the ad hoc committee of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College should not be declared illegal and directed that the election to form the institution's governing body be completed within 90 days," he said.

Deputy Attorney General Akhtar Hossain Md Abdul Wahab, who represented the state, also confirmed the order.

He said the High Court had issued the rule and directed the authorities to hold an election within 90 days to form the governing body of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College.