FF quota to remain in govt jobs

The Appellate Division's Chamber Judge Court has upheld the decision of the High Court (HC) declaring the decision to cancel the freedom fighter quota in government jobs illegal.

At the same time, the court has set July 4 as the date for the full bench of the Appellate Division to hear the matter.

Appellate Division Chamber Judge M Inayetur Rahim passed this order on Sunday (June 9).

Senior lawyer Motahar Hossain Saju moved on behalf of the writ in the court while Attorney General AM Amin Uddin represented the state.

Earlier in the morning, the state filed an appeal with the Appellate Division seeking a stay on the HC order declaring the decision to cancel the freedom fighter quota system in the first and second class government jobs illegal.

Assistant Attorney General Muhammad Saiful Alam confirmed this to Views Bangladesh saying an appeal has been filed with the relevant branch of the Appellate Division on Sunday (June 9).

Earlier on June 5, the HC declared illegal a government circular issued in 2018 that abolished the 30 percent freedom fighter quota system in recruiting first class and second class officers in government services.

A High Court division bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order.

Earlier on October 4, 2018, the public administration ministry issued a circular canceling the 10 percent women quota, 30 percent freedom fighter quota and 10 percent district quota.

The government, through that circular, said direct recruitment in all government jobs in 9th grade (old first class) and from 10th to 13th grade (old second class) will be completely based on merit, abolishing existing quota system.

After a long movement of students demanding reform of quota, the government decided to remove 45 percent quota for recruitment in government jobs from ninth to thirteenth grade and employ them on the basis of merit. This decision was taken based on the recommendations of the Quota Review Committee.

Later, seven people, including Muktijoddhar Sontan o Projonmo central command council president Ohidul Islam Tushar, filed the writ with the High Court, challenging the legality of the circular.

The High Court after hearing the plea, issued the rule asking the authorities concerned to reply as to why the circular shall not be declared illegal.