IN THE SUPREME COURT OF BANGLADESH HIGH COURT DIVISION

(SPECIAL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION)

WRIT PETITION NO. 7695 of 2023

IN THE MATTER OF:

An  application  under  Article  102  read with Article 44 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

And

IN THE MATTER OF:

Mawlana Obaidur Rahman (Mahbub).

.......... Petitioner

versus

Government of Bangladesh and others

..........Respondents. And

Mr. Shaikh Atiar Rahman, Advocate ....... for the Petitioner.

Mr. ABM Siddiqur Rahman Khan Senior Advocate with Mr. Istiak Ahmed with

Mr. Niruparn Pandit, with

Mr. Md. Monirul Islam, with

Mr. Jawad Hassan Advocates

........ For the Respondent No. 5

Heard on: 16.07.2024 &

Judgment on 29.08.2024 Present:

Mr. Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam

and

Mr. Justice S.M. Masud Hossain Dolon

S.M. Masud Hossain Dolon, J:

In this application under Article 102 of the Constitution of the

People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Rule Nisi has been issued calling upon the  respondents  to  show  cause  as  to  why  the  Memo  No. 05.10.0600.117.58.002.23.167  dated  24.05.2023  issued  under  the signature of respondent No. 6 from the office of Deputy Commissioner, Barishal,  Education  and  Welfare  Division  cancelling  the  existing Executive  Committee  of  Jamia  Islamia  Mahmudia  Madrashah, Amanatgonj,  Barishal  and  forming  of  Ad-hoc  Committee  with  19 persons  (Annexure-D)  should  not  be  declared  to  have  been  made without lawful authority and is of no legal effect and /or pass such other  or  further order  or  orders  as  to  this  court  may seem  fit  and proper.

Facts relevant for disposal of the Rule are that the petitioner was Mohtamim of Jamia Islamia Mahmudi Madrasha, Amanatgonj, Barishal and secretary, Executive Committee, Jamia Islamia Mahmudi Madrasha. After forming of National Qawmi Madrasa Education Board(Befaqul) Jamia  Islamia  Mahmudi  Madrasha,  Amanatgonj,  Barishal  has  been following  and  observing  the  Rules  and  Regulation  of  Befaqul.  Then forming the Executive Committee at the first instant Majlis-e-Shura is to be  form  and  thereafter  Majlis-e-Shura  will  form  the  Executive Committee.The Executive Committee is formed for a period of 1 year under  the  clause  37(Kha)  of  Dusture  of  Jamia  Islamia  Mahmudi Madrasah and last executive Committee formed through process on 06.07.2019 and their tenure has ended on 05.07.2020 but thereafter in spite of repeated requesting by concern persons but they did not call any meeting of Majlis-e-Shura and illegally had been continuing the Executive Committee. Due to illegal activities of the earlier Executive Committee at the instance of the petitioner and other concern persons on due process formed Majlis-e-Shura on 12.05.2023 and they formed the  Executive  Committee  in  which  Pirs  Saheb  Charmonai  was  the president  and  the  present  petitioner  is  the  Secretary,  Executive Committee, Jamia Islamia Mahmudi Madrasha. After the expiry of the respective Committee’s time then formation of Executive Committee in due process it was informed to National Quawmi Madrasa Education Board  (Befaqul).  Thereafter  Divisional  Commissioner,  Barishal  was forming  an  Ad-hoc  committee  making  the  Deputy  Commissioner, Barishal as convener and Kazi Mofijul Islam Kamal as Member Secretary along with other 17 members and District Education Officer, Barishal Member Secretary. Challenging the order of Divisional Commissioner, Barishal the petitioner filed the instant writ petition and obtained the Rule.

Mr. Shaikh Atiar Rahman, the learned Advocate for the petitioner submits  that  the  Qawmi  Madrasa  is  administer  by  National  Qawmi Madrasa Education Board (Befaqul) and they are under the National Qawmi  Madrasa  Education  Board  (Befaqul)  and  relating  to  Qawmi Madrasa  any  decision  if  is  required  to  be  taken  it  must  be  by  the National Qawmi Madrasa Education Board (Befaqul) and the Divisional Commissioner has got no legal authority to interfere the administration of  Qawmi  Madrasa  and  as  such  by  forming  an  Ad-hoc  committee convene by Deputy Commissioner is highly illegal without jurisdiction and lawful authority and is of no legal effect. He further submits that the Qawmi Madrasah its administration and its Executive Committee and all affairs are controlled by the National Qawmi Madrasa Education Board and therefore the impugned memo with refer to the Memo of Divisional Commissioner have been passed without lawful authority and is of no legal effect.

Mr.  ABM  Siddiqur  Rahman  Khan the  learned  Advocate  for respondent No. 5 contested the Rule by filing an affidavit in opposition and submits that writ Petition are incorrect, misconceived, motivated and hence denied. He further submits that it is a settled principle of law that the writ petitioner being actually the Principal of the Madrasah has no legal authority to challenge formation of Ad-hoc Committee of the Madrasah  pursuant  to  the  impugned  memo  dated  24.05.2023  and hence the writ petition is not maintainable, in this regard he referred Alauddin Sikder (Md) and another vs Bangladesh and others reported in 56 DLR(AD) 130.

We have perused the writ petition and all other relevant papers submitted by the parties in connection with the contents of this writ petition  along  with  supplementary  affidavit,  affidavit  in  opposition appended thereto. It appears from the record that petitioner is the Mohtamim  (®j¡qa¡¢jj) of  the  Jamia  Islamia  Mahmudi  Madrasha, Amanatgonj, Barishal and ex officia Member Secretary of the Governing Body  of  the  said  Madrasha.  Challenging  the  order  contained  in 05.10.0600.117.58.002.23.167  dated  24.05.2023  issued  by  the Respondent  No.  6  Deputy  Commissioner,  Barishal  nominating  the Chairman by forming an Ad-hoc committee of the said Madrasha, on the  ground  that  Qawmi  Madrasa  is  administer  by  National  Qawmi Madrasa Education Board and any decision if is required to be taken it must  be  by  the  National  Qawmi  Madrasa  Education  Board  but Divisional  Commissioner  has  got  no  legal  authoirty  to  interfere  the administration of Qawmi Madrasa. 

It appears that a principal or a teacher of a Non-Government College or School or Madrasa has no locus standi to file a writ petition challenging  the  legality  of  nomination  the  Governing  Body  of  the College/School/Madrasa. It is strange that the petitioners in spite of being aware of the aforesaid decision Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh vs Kazi Abdur Rouf and others reported in 46 DLR (AD) 145 and thus being conscious of their having no locus standi to maintain the writ petition filed the same and thus entangled the Madrasha into useless litigation touching fund of the Madrasha with ulterior motive.

In  view  of  the  discussion  made  above  we  find  substances submission of the learned Advocate for the respondent.

Thus, we find no merit in this Rule.

In the result, the Rule is disposed of without any order as to cost. The  respondents  are  directed  to  hold  a  fresh  election  of  Executive Committee  of  Jamia  Islamia  Mahmudia  Madrashah,  Amanatgonj, Barishal within 6(six) months from the date of receiving this judgment in accordance with law.

Let  the  order  of  stay  granted  earlier  by  this  court  is  hereby vacated.

Communicate the order at once.

Mustafa Zaman Islam, J:

I agree

Asad/B.O