The main part (operative part) and instructions of the High Court verdict on the 2018 government circular declaring the abolition of existing quotas applicable to jobs (grades 9 to 13) have been published.
A High Court bench of justices KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat published the one-page brief judgment on Thursday.
According to the operative part, if the government wants to change, reduce or increase the ratio or percentage of the quotas, the verdict will not be an obstacle.
However, lawyers say since the Appellate Division has ordered a status quo to be maintained, the High Court's verdict cannot be implemented for the time being.
Deputy Attorney General Sheikh Saifuzzaman said, “The main part of the High Court's verdict has been published and received. Yesterday, the Appellate Division ordered the status quo to be maintained regarding the quota issue.
“The Appellate Division has scheduled the hearing for August 7. Therefore, the High Court's verdict will not be implemented for the time being.”
Mansurul Haque Chowdhury, the lawyer for the petitioners in the High Court, said, “The verdict states that all quotas should be maintained. However, the government can reduce or increase them if necessary.
“The Appellate Division has ordered the status quo to be maintained. Therefore, this judgment is not being implemented at the moment.”
Students have been blocking roads and highways and protesting in universities and important areas, including Dhaka, since July 1, demanding the abolition of the quota system in government jobs.
The quota system, which reserved 56 percent of positions in government jobs for various quotas, was abolished in 2018. This decision was challenged in 2021 by descendants of freedom fighters, leading to a High Court ruling on June 5, 2024, declaring the abolition of the freedom fighters' quota illegal.
The government subsequently applied to the Chamber Court of the Appellate Division to suspend the order.
