State seeks stay on HC’s decision on freedom fighter quota

On Jun 5, the High Court had declared the decision to scrap the quota illegal

The state has petitioned to suspend a High Court decision reinstating the quota for freedom fighters in two grades for direct recruitment in government, autonomous, semi-autonomous institutions and corporations.

Assistant Attorney General Muhammad Saiful Alam said that the petition was submitted to the relevant branch of the Appellate Division on Sunday.

After the final hearing of a writ petition in this regard on Wednesday, the High Court bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat declared the decision to scrap the quota system illegal.

On Oct 4, 2018, in the face of a student movement, the government issued a circular cancelling the 10 percent women quota, the 30 percent freedom fighter quota and the 10 percent 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. The High Court decided on that petition on Wednesday.

Students have protested at Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University and other places across the country over the High Court’s decision.