Quota remains!

The verdict of the High Court declaring the abolition of the quota system for freedom fighters in first and second class government jobs remains unchanged as there has been no hearing in the Appeal Division.

On Thursday (4 July), the matter was not discussed in the regular and full bench of the Appeal Division under the leadership of Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan. It is learned from court sources that the Supreme Court has directed to file a regular appeal after the full verdict on the restoration of the quota is published.

Previously, the Chamber Judge Court supported the verdict of the High Court, which ruled that the government circular eliminating the quota system for first- and second-class government posts was unlawful. Consequently, lawyers of the writ petitioners have informed that the order to restore the quota for freedom fighters will remain in force for now.

On 9 June, the Chamber Judge Court of Justice M. Enayetur Rahim passed this order, sustaining the High Court’s verdict on the appeal filed by the state. Attorney General Abu Mohammad (AM) Amin Uddin was present for the statement during the hearing that day. Senior lawyer Md. Motahar Hossain Saju argued on behalf of the writ.

The court has fixed the next date for hearing in the Appeal Division bench on Thursday 4 July regarding this matter. Accordingly, it was scheduled for hearing today (Thursday).

Earlier, according to the announcement on Wednessday (July 3), students staged a sit-in program in front of the Central Library of the University of Dhaka at 11 am..

However, on June 5 the High Court declared the decision to abolish the quota system including the quota for freedom fighters in government jobs in the first and second classes as illegal. The High Court bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat declared the rule issued in this regard as valid. In an immediate reaction to this announcement, students took to the streets in various universities across the country on that evening. This movement is still ongoing.