BANGLADESH NEWS
Awami League lawmaker Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj has now in person tendered his resignation letter to Speaker Abdul Hamid.
Sohel Taj handed over the resignation letter to the Speaker around 6:30pm on Saturday and the Speaker accepted that, Speaker's Personal Secretary Joinal Abedin confirmed.
Sohel Taj, son of the country's first prime minister Tajuddin Ahmad, earlier on April 23 resigned as lawmaker and declared that he would no longer be involved in active politics.
But the Speaker had declined to "accept" the resignation, claiming he did not follow constitutional provisions and rules of procedure of the House in submitting the resignation letter.
Clarifying his decision, the Speaker said Sohel Taj, who was then in USA, did not write the letter in his own hand, rather it was typed. Also, he did not submit the letter in person and it did not contain the phrase "willing to resign," which is mandatory under article 67 of the constitution.
Sohel Taj has to come to Bangladesh to submit in person his resignation letter to the Speaker if he desires to quit, he added.
The Speaker's decision comes more than two weeks after Sohel Taj resigned as lawmaker on April 23.
The reasons he cited to justify his decision, however, are not in conformity with a High Court verdict.
According to a 1995 HC judgment, the constitution does not have any provision authorising the Speaker to accept or reject a resignation letter submitted by an MP.
On the practice of submitting resignation letter by a lawmaker in person, the HC said the letter "need not be written by the lawmaker concerned; it is sufficient if it is signed by him or her."
However, if there is any doubt, the Speaker may check the authenticity of the letter or the voluntariness of it, the HC observed.
Aggrieved at the reported interference in his work, Sohel Taj, son of the country's first prime minister Tajuddin Ahmad, stepped down as state minister for home on May 31, 2009.
But Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on April 19 this year said Sohel Taj was still a state minister as she did not "accept" his resignation.
Legal experts, however, say there is no need for prime minister's acceptance of a minister or a junior minister's resignation letter.
Hasina's announcement apparently prompted Sohel Taj to resign from the House as well, as that would put an end to the prime minister's effort to keep him as a state minister without portfolio.
Under article 58 (1) (b) of the constitution, his resignation as an MP would disqualify him from continuing as a state minister without portfolio.
But Abdul Hamid's decision had denied him the relief.
When his attention was drawn to the provision, Hamid said the Speaker had discretionary powers to grant leave to an MP. "So, I may allow him leave since I don't know whether he is able to attend the House."
Sohel Taj had also demanded that the government issue a gazette notification on his resignation as state minister, as he thinks his dignity and the image of the government as well as the prime minister were tarnished for not doing so.
He also said the government must take back around Tk 40 lakh deposited in his account as remuneration and allowances for the post.
The resignation of this young politician, who was elected from Gazipur-4 constituency in 2001 and 2008 national polls, came as a shock to Awami League leaders and workers and ordinary people.
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