The High Court on Wednesday cleared the way for actor Zayed Khan to serve as the general secretary of the Bangladesh Film Artistes’ Association (BFAA) after declaring the decision of Election Appeal Board as illegal.

A division bench of High Court justices Mamnoon Rahman and Khandaker Diliruzzaman passed the order after hearing a rule challenging the decision of the Board.

Read: BFAA election: Appellate Division orders HC to settle Nipun-Zayed dispute

With the court order, actor Zayed Khan will remain the general secretary of the Bangladesh Film Artistes’ Association.

Advocate Ahsanul Karim and Nahid Sultana Juthi stood for Zayed while Barrister Rokon Uddin Mahmud and Barrister Mostafizur Rahman argued for actress Nipun Akter.

On February 24, the Appellate Division stayed the High Court order on the general secretary post of BFAA and upheld the decision of the Chamber court for maintaining status-quo over holding the post.

A six-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order and directed the High Court to settle the issue.

On February 9, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court said neither actor Zayed Khan nor his rival actress Nipun Akter can hold the office of the general secretary of Bangladesh Film Artistes’ Association until a full-bench hearing on the controversy is held.

On February 8, actress Nipun Akter moved the Supreme Court against the High Court’s stay on the cancellation of actor Zayed Khan's candidacy in the election over vote-buying allegations.

On February 7, a division bench of High Court justices Mamnoon Rahman and Khandaker Diliruzzaman stayed the decision of the Election Appellate Board revoking the candidacy of Zayed.

The order was passed following a writ petition filed by Zayed challenging the validity of the decision of the Board.

Besides, the High Court had asked Zayed to continue with his activities as the general secretary.
The High Court had also issued a rule, asking the authorities concerned to explain by February 15 why the decision to cancel the actor's candidacy should not be declared illegal.

On February 5, the Election Appellate Board decided to remove Zayed from the post of general secretary of the association over allegations that he had resorted to impropriety in the recent election.

Read: Nipun moves Supreme Court against HC stay on Zayed's disqualification

Sohanur Rahman Sohan, chairman of the Board, announced the decision a day after the newly elected committee of the BFAA led by Ilias Kanchan and Nipun Akter took the oath of office.

The association election was held on January 28.

Zayed was declared the winner for the general secretary post, after he defeated Nipun in a close contest. It was his third consecutive win.