Former Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Rezaul Karim Chowdhury has been suspended over allegations of corruption and misuse of power.
The Ministry of Law Justice and Parliamentary Affairs took the action following consultations with the Supreme Court.
The Law and Justice Division of the ministry issued a notification, signed by law secretary Liakat Ali Molla, on September 29 in this regard, but the matter became public on Monday.
According to the notification, a departmental case has been filed against Rezaul Karim Chowdhury under the Bangladesh Supreme Judicial Service (Discipline) Rules for alleged misconduct.
Considering the gravity of the allegations, the competent authority found it reasonable to place him under suspension, it said.
He has been suspended under Rule 11 of the Bangladesh Supreme Judicial Service (Discipline) Rules, 2017 and the order took immediate effect, said the notification.
Earlier, on September 25, 2024, a private television channel aired an investigative report against the judge, alleging his involvement in corruption and irregularities related to a seized vehicle.
The report claimed that Rezaul Karim had taken and used a vehicle that had been kept in the custody of the Detective Branch as case evidence.
The report also revealed that he had allegedly obtained a 7.5-katha plot in Purbachal Town from the Ministry of Housing and Public Works without informing the Law Ministry 鈥� while the High Court judges are entitled to only five-katha plot each.
In addition, he received a Five-katha ready plot near Northern University in exchange for providing benefits in a case and constructed a three-storey house at Sitakunda, Chattogram, while serving as Dhaka鈥檚 CMM, claimed the report.
