Staff Correspondent:

The Appellate Division on Thursday upheld the verdict of the High Court by declaring the decision to cancel the Freedom Fighter (FF) quota system in the first and second-class government jobs as invalid. At the same time, the court asked the State to Leave to Appeal (regular appeal) when the full verdict is published.

A six-judge Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan passed the order on Thursday (July 4).

“For the time being, the verdict of the High Court should remain as it is. If the verdict is published, you file a regular appeal. We will listen,” the Appellate Division told the State in the hearing.

“Let there be a movement. Can you change the verdict of the High Court by protesting on the streets?” asked the Chief Justice.

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin heard on behalf of the State while senior lawyer Motahar Hossain Saju was present on behalf of the writ.

Lawyer Motahar Hossain Saju said that the verdict of the High Court will be upheld until the next hearing in the Appellate Division.

On June 9, the decision to scrap the first and second-class FF quota system in government jobs was declared invalid by the Chamber Court, upholding the High Court’s verdict and sending it to the regular bench of the Appellate Division for hearing. Appellate Division Chamber Justice M Enayetur Rahim passed the order.

Senior lawyer Motahar Hossain Saju heard on behalf of the writ in the court. Attorney General AM Amin Uddin heard for the State.

On that day, Attorney General AM Amin Uddin said that the High Court’s decision to cancel the first and second-class FF quota system in government jobs would be upheld, or the “Appellate Division would take the final decision”.

On the morning of June 9, the Government filed a petition seeking suspension of the High Court ruling declaring the decision to cancel the first and second-class Freedom Fighter (FF) quota system illegal.

On June 5, the High Court declared invalid the decision to cancel the first and second-class FF quota system in government jobs.

The High Court bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat declared the ruling as appropriate.

On 4 October 2018, the Ministry of Public Administration issued a circular to implement the decision of the Cabinet by removing the existing quota system for direct recruitment to first and second-class posts for government jobs.

The Ministry of Public Administration issued this circular a day after the decision of the Cabinet to cancel the quota.