Justice Md Abdul Mannan, a judge of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court, has been kept away from judicial activities “without any specific reason” being assigned.
Recently, Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury reconstituted 63 High Court benches for the conduct of judicial proceedings with effect from April 19.
However, Justice Abdul Mannan was not included in any of them — effectively meaning he has been kept away from judicial duties, an official at the Supreme Court registrar general’s office told The Daily Star.
The official said the chief justice may have taken the decision following a video that went viral, allegedly showing Justice Abdul Mannan engaging in inappropriate behaviour at a programme.
Supreme Court Registrar General Mohammad Habibur Rahman could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts over cellphone.
Contacted, Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal said he was not aware of the matter.
On April 3, while attending an Apex Club event in Cumilla, Justice Abdul Mannan allegedly behaved in an inappropriate manner. He reportedly invoked his judicial identity to issue threats and involved in a verbal altercation. A video of the incident later circulated on social media.
He joined the judiciary as an assistant judge through the 13th Bangladesh Civil Service on April 25, 1994. He was appointed as an additional judge of the High Court on October 9, 2024, during immediate past interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus, and was later confirmed as a permanent judge.