The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the High Court order that had allowed Adarsha Prokashoni to participate in the Ekushey Book Fair this year.
A three-member branch of the Appeal Division, headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the academy seeking a stay on the HC order.
Following the SC order Adarsha will not get any stall in the book fair this year, said concerned lawyers.
Earlier on February 8, an HC bench ordered the Bangla Academy authorities to allot a stall to Adarsha on condition that the publisher will not display or sell the three books those are objected by the Bangla Academy authorities in their stall if it given a stall.
Later, the Bangla Academy filed a petition with the Appellate Division seeking a stay on the HC order. The apex court held hearing on the petition on Wednesday and stayed the HC order.
Barrister Aneek R Haque appeared in the court hearing on behalf of Adarsha Prokashoni, while lawyer Mintu Kumar Mondol represented the Bangla Academy.
The academy blocked Adarsha’s allotment because of three books--- ‘Oprotirodhyo Unyaner Obhabonio Kothamala’ by Foyez Ahmed Toiyob, ‘Bangalir Mediocrityr Sondhane’ by Faham Abdus Salam, and ‘Unyan Bivrom’ by Zia Hasan. Faham is the son-in-law of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Challenging the decision Mahabub Rahman, the CEO of Adarsha Prokashoni, filed the writ petition on February 2 seeking HC directives upon the respondents to allot Adarsha a stall in the Ekushey Book Fair.
According to the petition, “The decision has no legality according to the Bangla Academy Act, 2013. This decision is also contrary to the Constitution.”
Upon hearing the writ petition the High Court bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir ordered the Bangla Academy to give an allotment to Adarsha.
