There was no move until yesterday to find a successor of Shahudul, whose job contract will expire in March next year. The convict, however, can seek a review of Tuesday's Appellate Division verdict and mercy of the president as well.

Shahudul legally stood dismissed after the Appellate Division rejected his appeal against the January 27 High Court judgement that awarded him Tk 2,000 fine or one-month imprisonment. But he will not lose his job if he files a review petition and the court reviews his penalty to fix at not more than Tk 1,000, legal experts say.

"We are yet to take a decision….We will act according to the law," State Minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar told The Daily Star last night over phone, when asked what the government was thinking about Shahudul's job as the police chief.

Some aspirants, meanwhile, have started lobbying for the highest post in the police administration, although the government is yet to initiate any move to appoint a new IGP. DMP Commissioner Ashraful Huda is now service as acting IGP.

The government may let Shahudul file a review petition and appoint a new IGP after his contractual job ends on March 30, hinted some government high-ups.

Sources said if the government formally dismisses Shahudul at the moment, it may stands his way of getting the position of police adviser at the UN peacekeeping department he has applied for. He went to New York to appear in an interview for the post.

Legal experts say Shahudul will not lose his job if the court grants his review petition, if he files any, and forgives him or curtails the fine to Tk 1,000, or the president considers that section 3 of the Public Servants (Dismissal on Conviction) Ordinance 1985 that dismisses him from his job, is not applicable on him.

Section 3 of the ordinance says: "A public servant shall, on his conviction of a criminal offence specified in the schedule, stands dismissed from service on the date of delivery of judgement or order convicting him."

The schedule of the ordinance says a public servant shall lose his job for committing an "offence under any law punishable with death, transportation, or imprisonment for a term exceeding six months, or with fine exceeding Tk 1,000, or with both."

But section 4 (Relieve) of the ordinance says section 3 will not be applicable on any government servant if the president considers that there are enough reasons to relieve him from the section 3. In that case the government servant will not lose his job.

Some sources said a government decision may come on Saturday after Babar returns from his constituency in Netrokona. He is scheduled to return to Dhaka today.

Sources at the Police Headquarters said acting IGP and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Ashraful Huda, and former DMP commissioners Abdul Qaiyum and Anwarul Iqbal are on the race for the post of IGP.

Ashraful Huda took charge as DMP commissioner on April 8, 2003 after his retirement as deputy inspector general of police. His contract was renewed for another year later.

Abdul Qaiyum, an additional IGP, is serving as chief of Special Branch while Anwarul Iqbal, also an additional IGP, is the head of Rapid Action Battalion.

The other aspirants are Hasan Farid (Director of National Security Intelligence), Wahidul Haque (Director General of Department of Passport and Immigration), and additional IGPs Shadat Hossain (Administration), Hadis Uddin (Finance) and Ali Imam Chowdhury (Training) at the Police Headquarters.