Nipun, Zayed asked to strictly follow stay order

The Appellate Division (AD) of the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday directed actress Nipun Akter and actor Zayed Khan to abide by the stay order on general secretary post of the Bangladesh Film Artistes’ Association (BFAA).

An Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order.

Barrister Rokon Uddin Mahmud stood for Nipun Akter, while Advocates Ahsanul Karim and Nahid Sultana Juthi represented Zayed Khan.

On January 28, Zayed was declared the winner of the BFAA General Secretary post. His rival candidate Nipun sent a written complaint to the Election Appellate Board alleging of taking wrongful measures by Zayed in the elections, BSS reports.

On February 5, the Election Appellate Board held a meeting and declared Nipun as the new GS and cancelled the candidacy of Zayed. Later, Zayed filled a writ petition against the decision of the Election Appellate Board.

The High Court on February 7 stayed the decision of the Election Appeal Board.

The court also issued the rule asking the authorities concerned to explain in a week as to why it shall not declare illegal a letter of Department of Social Services giving the ultimate authority to the appellate board in taking such a decision, and the decision of the appeal board, cancelling the candidacy of Zayed Khan.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on February 9 stayed the High Court order that halted the Election Appellate Board’s decision till February 13.

The court also issued status quo on functions of the association’s general secretary, saying that none can hold the post of general secretary till the further order.

On March 8, Zayed Khan filed a contempt of court petition stating that despite the ban imposed by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, Nipun has been sitting in the chair introducing herself as the general secretary and conducting activities, which have been published in various media.