# Ohidul Islam and others v. The Government of Bangladesh and others

Ohidul Islam and Others v. The Government of Bangladesh and Others was a case brought before the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. The writ petition was filed three years after the Government of Bangladesh, amid the 2018 quota reform movement, issued a circular declaring the existing quotas for descendants of 1971 Liberation War veterans to be unconstitutional. Proceedings in this case later became a significant factor in shaping the developments leading to the 2024 quota reform movement.

## Facts

During the 2018 quota reform movement, on October 4, 2018, the Government of Bangladesh issued a circular eliminating the freedom fighter quota in first- and second-class government positions. Three years later, in 2021, Ohidul Islam Tushar, President of the "Muktijoddhader Sontan o Projonmo, Central Command Council" (lit. 'Children and generations of freedom fighters, Central Command Council') along with seven others, filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging this decision. On December 6, 2021, the High Court issued a ruling requesting an explanation as to why the 2018 circular canceling the freedom fighter quota in government employment should not be declared invalid.

## Judgement

On June 5, 2024, the High Court declared the circular regarding the cancellation of the freedom fighter quota for the posts of 9th grade (previously 1st class) and 10th-13th grade (previously 2nd class) in direct recruitment to government offices, autonomous or semi-autonomous institutions and various corporations invalid. After the final hearing of the writ, the High Court bench consisting of Justice KM Kamrul Quader and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the verdict declaring the previously issued rule as Rule Absolute.
On June 9, the state appealed to the Chamber Court of the Appellate Division seeking to suspend the judgment given by the High Court. The Chamber court on the same day decided July 4 as the date for hearing of the aforementioned petition before the full bench of the Appellate Division.
On July 4, the hearing of the state party's application seeking stay of the judgment given by the High Court was adjourned. When the writ petitioner appealed for time, the Appellate Division ordered 'not today'. The six-member Appellate Division headed by the then Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan gave this order. In effect, the judgment of the High Court remains in force until further orders. Besides, the state party was asked to file a regular leave to appeal after publication of the full text of the judgment.
Later on July 10, at the point of the application of two students of University of Dhaka to be a part of the case under trial in the Appellate Division, the Appellate Division issued an order to impose a status quo for four weeks on the judgment of the High Court along with some observations and instructions. On this day, the next date of hearing was also fixed on August 7.
In a full judgment released on July 14, the High Court justified the provision of 30 percent quota for their children in government jobs citing freedom fighters as a backward section of the society.
On July 16, a leave to appeal was filed by the state. On the context of the government's direction, on July 18, based on the application of Attorney General AM Amin Uddin, the Supreme Court's Chamber Court Judge M Enayetur Rahim of Appellate Division fixed the date of hearing the case on July 21.
On July 21, the Appellate Division reinstated the quota and quashed the judgment given by the High Court. At the same time, even though it is a matter of policy of the government, under the jurisdiction of Article 104 of the Constitution and in the interest of complete justice in the overall and logical consideration, the court ordered 93 percent recruitment in government jobs on the basis of merit. It was also ordered to appoint the other 7 percent on the basis of quota. According to the direction of the court, 5 percent quota should be reserved for the children and grandchildren of freedom fighters, martyred freedom fighters and Birangonas, 1 percent for minority ethnic groups and 1 percent for disabled and third gender.

## Significance

Following the announcement of the verdict in this case on June 5, general students in Dhaka University protested that evening against the reinstatement of the quota system in government jobs. On June 6, the second day of protest was also held in Dhaka University. For several days, students of University of Chittagong, University of Rajshahi, Jahangirnagar University and different universities across the country held protests, rallies and human chains along with students of University of Dhaka. On June 9, the students gave an ultimatum for a nationwide movement if the Freedom Fighter quota is not canceled by June 30 from a protest rally at the Dhaka University campus. Thus, the context of the quota reform movement was initiated in the country for the third time.
Following the application of the state seeking a stay of the High Court verdict on June 9, on June 10, the agitators gave the government a time-frame until June 30 to accept their demands and announced a break in the agitation due to Eid-al-Adha. The agitation resumed on June 30. On July 1, Students of University of Dhaka protested and announced a three-day program. On this day, students of Jahangirnagar University blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway and students of Chittagong University took a position in front of the central Shaheed MInar of the university.
The Anti-discrimination Students Movement made its first appearance on July 1 following the various programs of the series of movements. The students agitating under the banner of this organization held demonstrations, human chains, highway blockades, etc. in various parts of the country. Despite Police forces as well as Chhatra League, Awami League and their other supporting organizations carried out massacres against the protesters for a month and imposed curfew by deploying the army, Sheikh Hasina's government failed to suppress the movement. When the movement eventually turned into a non-cooperation movement, Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India on August 5 and Sheikh Hasina's government fell.