DHAKA: Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Benazir Ahmed on Wednesday sought ‘unconditional apology’ before the High Court on a contempt of court allegation and explained his failure to obey its order on Wednesday morning.
Earlier, Benazir and two other DMP officials appeared before a HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Izarul Haque following court order for not renovation of boundary wall at Azimpur graveyard in the city.
The two others are DMP deputy commissioner (Lalbagh Zone) and DMP’s Lalbagh Thana officer-in-charge.
Benazir told the court that we received 16 letters from the Dhaka South City Corporation, which had no specific date and the deployment of force. Besides, last year was a critical year for police, there were hartals and strikes everyday, our manpower were busy to tackle the violence.
Lalbagh Thana OC contacted to the city corporation officials and the renovation works has began on September 2 as per the court order, the DMP boss informed the court.
He also presented several pieces of photographs on progress of renovation works of the wall.
Benzir said, we don’t want to blame anybody; City Corporation is our (DMP’s) brother organization, the work will be completed soon. Yet, there is any mistake I offer my ‘unconditional apology’ he told the court.
The court ordered Benazir to look into the works until it is completed. The court order will, obviously, be obeyed, he replied.
Barrister Tanzeeb Ul Alam moved for the hearing on behalf of the state while Mohammad Asad Ullah for the plaintiff.
On September 1, the HC bench summoned the three officials to appear before the court in person on ground of contempt of court in a writ relating to the renovation of boundary wall at Azimpur graveyard in the city.
One Zakir Hossain filed a writ petition challenging the legality of the road construction by the City Corporation breaking the wall beside the graveyard.
The HC ordered to renovate the wall, which had not been performed. Later the plaintiff sought for contempt of court order against the authorities concerned. Then the HC order the DMP commissioner to supply the sufficient manpower to renovate the wall.
As the commissioner failed, the HC summoned him, and he appeared before the court on Wednesday informed the court on the work progress offering his unconditional apology.
** DMP commissioner at HC
BDST: 1409 HRS, SEP 04, 2014
