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The Appellate Division is set to hear on Wednesday the appeal against the High Court’s judgement declaring the notice repealing the freedom fighter quota system for recruitment to first and second-class government jobs as illegal.
Chamber Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam set the date for the hearing on Tuesday. Advocate Shah Monjurul Hoque stood for the petitioner at the time, reports bdnews24.com.
The Appellate Division was scheduled to hear the case on Jul 4. However, the court adjourned the hearing that day upon the writ petitioner’s request for time, maintaining the High Court’s judgement in the meantime.
The Appellate Division did not hear the appeal that day. Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan had told the state counsel at that time, “Let the judgement of the High Court stay as is for now. You can file a regular appeal once the full verdict is published. We will listen.”
Hassan added: “Let them protest on the streets. Can you change the verdict of the High Court by protesting on the streets?”
On Oct 4, 2018, in the face of a student movement, the government issued a circular cancelling the 10 per cent women quota, the 30 per cent freedom fighter quota and the 10 per cent district quota for government jobs.
According to the circular issued by the Ministry of Public Administration, the existing quota system for direct recruitment to the posts of ninth grade (previously first class) and 10th to 13th grade (previously second class) was scrapped in favour of a merit-based system.
However, the circular stated that though the quota system for first and second-class jobs was abolished, the quotas will remain in place for third and fourth-class posts.
Seven people, including Wahidul Islam – the son of a freedom fighter - filed a writ petition in the High Court in 2021 challenging the validity of that circular.
On Jun 5, the High Court bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat declared the decision to scrap the quota system illegal after the hearing. Later, the state appealed.