Legal notice served seeking FM Momen's resignation within 48hrs

A legal notice was served on Sunday to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen seeking his resignation within 48 hours over his recent statement requesting India's support to keep Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in power.

According to the notice, if Abdul Momen does not resign within 48 hours, a writ will be filed with the High Court seeking direction for his resignation.

Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Irshad Hossain Rashed sent the notice to the foreign minister.

As per the notice, Momen violated his oath as a minister and his statement violated the country's Constitution and sovereignty. Thus, he has lost all credibility in holding the post of Bangladesh's foreign minister.

Abdul Momen, while addressing a Janmashtami programme in JM Sen Hall in Chattogram on 18 August, said,  "When I went to New Delhi, I told the Indian government that Sheikh Hasina's continuation must be ensured. Bangladesh will continue to march towards development and will truly become a country free of communalism under her leadership."

His statement created a stir in the political arena, drawing flak from the BNP which said the government has resorted to seeking help from foreign countries to stay in power.

The foreign minister, however, claimed that his statement was "misrepresented" by India, a claim he had made earlier about another dubious statement of his. He has also alleged that his speech had been spread on purpose.

He was lambasted earlier over his comment that people in Bangladesh were in "heaven" compared to those living in other countries amid the global recession.

He then claimed that he had made a light-hearted comment which was spun by the media.