HC rules on govt to include Gram Police in national pay scale

The High Court (HC) has issued a rule asking the government to explain why the Gram Police Bahini will not be included in national pay scale as fourth class government employees. The court also asked the government why the ineffectiveness of the government to include their jobs with all benefits in the revenue sector should not be declared illegal. The High Court bench comprising Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hassan came up with the rule on Sunday following a writ-petition filed by 55 members of Gram Police Bahini seeking its order on the government to give them scale equal to the fourth class employees. A total of 32 persons, including the secretaries of local government, finance, public administration, home, law and parliamentary affairs, Inspector General of Police (IGP), were made respondents and asked to submit their written answers to the rule within four weeks. Barrister Humayun Kabir Pallab stood for the petitioners while deputy attorney general Motahar Hossain Saju stood for the state. Barrister Humayun Kabir Pallab said the government, in 2008, took decision to give Gram Police Bahini scale equivalent to fourth class employees of the state. But the decision was not implemented yet, he added.