Savar (Dhaka), April 11 – At least 15 protestors, including two journos and female students, sustained injuries in attacks by the leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), Jahangirnagar University (JU) unit, Wednesday evening.The protestors came under attack while JU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr. Farzana Islam was asking them to leave the Dhaka-Aricha highway.
The demonstrators denied to postpone their ongoing blockade program as they found Prime Minister’ speech in the National Parliament ambiguous.
Earlier, JU administration, teachers association and the BCL leaders of the university attempted to refrain the agitators from blocking the highway.
Following the attack, the protestors vowed to continue their movement and demanded expulsion to the offenders.
Expressing deep concern, Khan Muntasir Arman, spokesman of the anti-quota movement, demanded ensuring security at the dormitories to the authorities.
Jewel Rana, President of JU BCL unit, claimed that the misunderstanding between our activists and the protestors triggered the incident.
‘Some anarchists wanted to create chaos after the announcement of PM and tried to move the movement into another way’, he said.
Contacted, JU Vice Chancellor said, “We never expected such attack on the students. The attack was unfortunate. We will take action against the attackers after investigation”.
Meanwhile, the demonstrators kept the Dhaka-Aricha highway blocked since 10.30 am unto 6.30 pm, demanding the reformation of existing quota system in all public job recruitment processes.
HC declares law increasing retirement age of FFs illegal Dhaka, April 11 – In a verdict, the High Court on Wednesday declared illegal the Public Servants (Retirement) (Amendment) Act, 2013 that increased the retirement age of the freedom fighter to 60 years from 59 in public service.
In its verdict, the HC observed that the retirement age of freedom fighter should have been 61-year in public service. But, the government made 60-year the retirement age of freedom fighter in public service, which was discriminatory. We seem that the government will give all kind of facilities to the freedom fighter employees till 61-year, the HC bench observed.
The HC bench comprising Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore and Justice AKM Shahidul Huq came up with the verdict after disposing of a writ petition filed over the matter.
On February 26 in 2013, the government raised the retirement age limit for the public servants from 57 to 59 years and further raised it for the freedom fighter public servants from 59 years to 60 years.
Moshir Uddin, DGM of Sonali Bank and Topan Kumar Shaha, manager of Ansar-VDP development bank filed the writ petition jointly seeking increasing the retirement age of the freedom fighter employees.
After the HC verdict, Advocate Gazi Mostaque Ahmed, counsel for the petitioners, told reporters that the freedom fighter government employees would get all kind of facilities till 61 year old from the government following the High Court verdict.
In 2013, the government had increased the retirement age of the freedom fighter till 60-year in public service after bringing amendment to the Public Servants (Retirement) Ordinance, 2012.
Later, Moshir Uddin and Topan Kumar Shaha filed the writ petition with the High Court seeking cancellation of the amendment of the act.
After initial hearing, the HC had earlier issued a rule over the matter and after final hearing on the rule the HC bench yesterday came up with the order.
