HC rejects writ seeking observance of 8 national days mandatory

The High Court has summarily rejected the writ petition seeking its directives for making it mandatory to observe eight national days, including Independence Day and Martyrs Intellectuals Day, for all political parties and citizens. A High Court bench of Justice Kazi Reza-ul Haque and Justice Mohammad Ullah rejected the petition on Monday morning. Two lawyers -- M Mozammel Haque and Md Shahidul Islam -- in the writ petition filed on January 4, also sought for cancellation of the registration of political parties who do not observe national days. In the writ petition, M Mozammel Haque said he had sought a High Court directive to make it mandatory to observe the N=national days, including March 26 as Independence Day, December 14 as Martyrs Intellectuals Day, January 10 as Bangabandhu's Homecoming Day, August 15 as National Mourning Day, November 3 as Jail Killing Day, for all political parties and citizens. Besides, the court order was also sought accepting 'Joy Bangla' as a national slogan for all political parties and citizens. Some 19 political parties, including Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party and their alliances and six government high-ups, including the cabinet secretary, law secretary and election commission, were made defendants in the writ petition.