The High Court has declared the decision to abolish the freedom fighter quota, including first and second-class quotas in government jobs, invalid.
The verdict was delivered by the High Court bench of Justice KM Kamrul Quader and Justice Khizir Hayat on Wednesday. Deputy Attorney General Sheikh Md Saifuzzaman confirmed the ruling.
On October 4, 2018, the Ministry of Public Administration issued a circular to implement the cabinet’s decision to eliminate the quota system for direct recruitment to first and second-class posts in government jobs, following a prolonged student movement demanding quota reform.
The government’s decision to abolish the 45% quota for government job recruitment from ninth to thirteenth grade in favor of merit-based recruitment was approved during a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on October 3, 2018.
Former cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam announced after the meeting that there would be no quota for first and second-class posts. This led to some children of freedom fighters filing a writ in the High Court challenging the decision.
In response to job seekers’ demands for quota reform, the government formed a seven-member committee led by the Cabinet Secretary on July 2, 2018. Initially, the committee was to submit its report within 15 working days, which was later extended by 90 working days. On September 17, 2018, the committee’s report recommending the removal of the quota was submitted to the prime minister and subsequently presented to the Cabinet on October 3, 2018.
Despite the decision to abolish the quota system for first and second-class posts, the quota for third and fourth-class posts remains intact. The High Court’s recent ruling invalidates the government’s 2018 decision, reaffirming the legality of the freedom fighter quota in government job recruitment.
