Freedom fighter quota in govt jobs: SC upholds HC ruling

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today upheld a High Court order declaring the cancellation of the freedom fighter quota in government jobs as “illegal.”

A six-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan, passed the order. The Supreme Court also adjourned the hearing of the petition filed by the state and instructed the state counsel to file a leave-to-appeal petition, reports UNB.

On June 5, the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division, Justice M Enayetur Rahim, upheld the High Court's decision and set July 4 for a full bench hearing of the petition.

The petition, initially scheduled for today, was postponed after Advocate Md Zahirul Islam, representing the petitioner, requested a one-day delay due to the absence of senior Advocate Mansurul Haque, who was abroad.

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin commented on the issue, stating that the government had abolished quotas in government jobs through a circular issued on October 4, 2018. This circular declared that recruitment for government jobs in the 9th to 13th grades would be entirely merit-based, eliminating all quotas.

Before the abolition in 2018, approximately 56 percent of government jobs were reserved for various quota categories. The largest quota, at 30 percent, was for the children and grandchildren of freedom fighters. Additionally, there was a 10 percent quota for women and another 10 percent for people from underdeveloped districts. Five percent of the jobs were reserved for members of ethnic minority communities, and 1 percent for people with disabilities.

After nearly six years, on June 5, the High Court ruled that scrapping the 30 percent quota for freedom fighters and their descendants was illegal. The order was passed by an HC bench comprising Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat.