Dhaka, Feb. 9 -- The High Court (HC) on Sunday issued a contempt of court rule against the chairman of the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) and four other officials over a move to lease out land of the Karnaphuli River, allegedly in violation of its earlier directives.

In the rule, the court asked the officials to explain why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against them for defying its previous orders.

The five officials are CPA Chairman SM Moniruzzaman, Additional Secretary (Administration) Md Habibur Rahman, Member (Finance) Md Shahidul Alam, Member (Engineering) Commodore Kausar Rashid, and Assistant Manager of the port authority's estate department Mohammad Rayan Uddin.

The HC bench of Justice Fahmida Quader an...