3,590 students, who passed the Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) test in 2017 but failed in the written test, will be able to sit for the written examination for advocateship enrollment to be held on September 26, without sitting for MCQ test afresh.
The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs issued a gazette on Thursday (13 August) in this regard.
Earlier on July 28, a Supreme Court lawyer filed a writ petition as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) with the High Court through email, seeking its direction on Bar Council, the highest statutory body to regulate the lawyers of the country, to allow the 3,590 candidates, who passed the MCQ test but failed in the written test in 2017, to participate in the upcoming written exam scheduled for September 26.
Advocate Shishir Mohammad Manir filed the writ petition with the virtual HC’s bench of Justice Tariq ul Hakim.
On July 26, the Bangladesh Bar Council issued a circular saying, due to amended rules, those who failed in the written test before December 19, 2018, will not qualify to sit for the written examination for a second time, which is illogical as it contradicts the previous decision, the lawyer said.
Earlier, in a circular issued on September 15 last year, the council said the candidates, who succeeded in the MCQ test but failed in the written test earlier, need not qualify for a fresh preliminary test to appear in the next written test.
Following the notice, some 3,590 examinees were not seated in the preliminary examination and are waiting for the upcoming written exam.
The petitioner claimed the sudden decision given by the council is completely unacceptable as they misinterpreted the amended rules.
nh/dn
