The High Court on Tuesday directed officials and employees of government and autonomous institutions to refrain from unlawfully displaying the national flag beside or behind their chairs or sofas.
The bench of Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice S M Iftekhar Uddin Mahmud passed the order along with a rule in response to a writ petition challenging the practice.
Lawyer Sharif Sarkar filed the writ petition, while H M Shanjid Siddique represented the petitioner during the hearing.
Shanjid told the court that officials at various government offices have recently been displaying the national flag behind their desks or chairs while sitting in front of it.
He said such a practice is not permitted under the National Flag Rules, 1972.
According to the lawyer, the rules allow 15 categories of individuals to use the national flag at their offices, residences and vehicles, but do not permit officials to keep the flag permanently displayed behind their chairs.
He also said the rules require the national flag displayed on a building to be flown from sunrise to sunset and kept in a proper position.
However, flags placed behind officials’ chairs are often bent or curved rather than properly flown, he said.
The court’s rule asked why such display of the national flag behind officials’ chairs should not be declared illegal.
As part of its interim order, the court directed officials and employees of government and autonomous institutions to refrain from unlawfully displaying the national flag beside or behind their chairs or sofas.
The court also directed the Cabinet Secretary to form a three-member committee comprising a judicial officer, a representative of the Cabinet Division and a teacher from a public university.
The committee has been asked to submit a report within 60 days on whether national flags displayed in government offices are being used in accordance with the National Flag Rules.