The High Court on Sunday directed the Department of Immigration and Passport  to not prevent BNP joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal from going abroad.

The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice SM Maniruzzaman passed the order during a hearing of a writ petition filed in this regard.

The court also issued a rule questioning why barring the BNP leader’s visit abroad will not be announced illegal and unconstitutional.

Also read: Derogatory remarks on PM: HC orders removal of Alal’s videos from social media

Advocate Tajul Islam appeared for Alal assisted by advocate Parvez Hossain and advocate Md Omar Faruq while Deputy Attorney General Abul Kamal Khan Daud represented the state.

Advocate Tajul said, the writ petition was filed after Alal was sent back from the airport without showing any reason when he went to take a flight to India on June 12 this year.

On December 12, last year Alal was sued under the Digital Security Ac for his alleged derogatory remarks on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by Khulna District Lawyers’ Association President Saiful Islam.

According to the case statement, Alal made disparaging remarks on Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a discussion on October 1.

Also read: Alal apologises, retracts comment on PM

Two days later, the BNP joint secretary general apologisedun for his remarks.

In a statement, he also withdrew the controversial and offensive comments that went viral on social media.