The High Court has issued a rule asking why the seniority of teachers and staff at private educational institutions should not be counted from their initial date of appointment rather than from their inclusion under the MPO (Monthly Pay Order) scheme.
A High Court bench of Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque and Justice Aynun Nahar Siddiqua issued the rule.
Lawyer for the petitioners, Mohammad Siddiq Ullah, confirmed the matter on Tuesday.
Earlier, 80 lecturers, including Mohammad Rezaul Karim, filed a writ petition with the High Court, seeking a directive to count seniority from the date of their first appointment.
Advocate Siddiq Ullah explained that, currently, seniority for teachers and staff in private institutions is determined based on their MPO enlistment date—unlike in other professions, where employment duration is counted from the initial date of joining.
This practice, he argued, violates Articles 27 and 29 of the Constitution.
The writ was filed to challenge and correct this discriminatory policy.
He added that resolving this rule could finally address a longstanding grievance of private institution teachers and staff.