No legal deviation in Ishraq's resignation, it followed the constitution: Attorney General

Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol has commented that there has been no deviation from or violation of the law in the process of Ishraq Hossain's resignation. He said the prime minister can ask any minister to resign, and Ishraq's resignation was completed in accordance with the constitution. The statement by the state's chief law officer amid the ongoing debate over the resignation has added a new dimension to the issue.

On Tuesday (20 October) afternoon, a view-exchange meeting was held with local leaders and activists at the Maheshpur upazila dak bungalow in Jhenaidah. Facing journalists after the meeting, the Attorney General made these remarks in response to various questions.

He said that under the constitution, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has the authority to ask any minister to resign. Ishraq resigned following the constitution and the prescribed rules. It is entirely a constitutional matter and there is no legal flaw in it, he commented.

He further said that if Ishraq had not resigned on his own, the prime minister could have requested the president to remove him, which is also part of the constitutional framework. In other words, whether a minister stays in office or not ultimately depends on the prime minister's decision — this constitutional reality is what he highlighted.

Notably, Ishraq Hossain's resignation letter has already been accepted by the president, and the Cabinet Division has issued a gazette notification in this regard — which has also been published in Barlekha Today. His resignation amid criticism over taking part in a drive with a weapon in hand has been the most discussed topic in the country's politics over the past few days.

Regarding the government's administrative decisions and its initiative to establish good governance, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol said that when a government wants to establish good governance in the country, who will be kept in responsibility and who will be removed from responsibility is entirely a matter of the government's own judgement and consideration.

Alongside local political leaders and activists, officials and employees from various levels of the government were also present at the view-exchange meeting organised in Maheshpur. Various local issues were discussed at the meeting, it has been learned.

Over the past few days, various quarters have made various statements about Ishraq's resignation. Some have welcomed the decision, while others have raised the question of whether responsibility ends with resignation alone. The law minister has also said earlier that no one is above the law, however close they may be to the government.

The Attorney General's statement, in that continuity, has clarified the government's position from the standpoint of legal basis. In his view, there is no scope for legal debate over this resignation, because the entire process was completed following the continuity of the constitution.

According to political analysts, such a public explanation by the Attorney General about the process of a cabinet member's departure may help settle the debate. However, it is believed that discussion over the post-resignation political calculations and party positions will continue for some more days.

Attention will now be on the redistribution of the responsibility left vacant in the cabinet and the subsequent political reactions to this incident. Ishraq Hossain himself has said earlier that if the party nominates him, he wants to be a candidate in the Dhaka South mayoral election — and that possibility is also being discussed in political circles.

Keep an eye on Barlekha Today for the latest progress of this incident — the paper is publishing full reports of the country's major political events before anyone else.