A writ petition has been filed seeking the cancellation of all associations within the Secretariat for organizing protests in violation of the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1979.
Supreme Court lawyer SM Arif Mondal filed the public interest litigation with the appropriate branch of the High Court on Sunday.
The petition seeks a declaration that the activities of all unregistered associations in the Secretariat and other government offices across the country, which are inconsistent with Sections 29(d)(ii), 30, and 30(a) of the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1979, and Article 38 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, are illegal.
It also calls for the cancellation of the registrations of any such associations that are registered.
Additionally, the writ challenges the inaction of the authorities concerned, including the director general (DG) of the Registrar of Trade Unions, the DG of the Department of Social Services, and the Registrar of the Department of Joint Stock Companies and Firms, in cancelling the registrations of these associations.
Several media reports have been attached to the petition under headlines such as “Fear of administrative chaos,” “Protests cripple NBR and Secretariat,” “Employee protests bring Secretariat to a standstill,” “Protests continue at Secretariat,” and “Protests inside and outside Secretariat.”
Respondents named in the writ include the cabinet secretary (Cabinet Division), the secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration (Public Administration Division), the secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, the secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare, the DG of the Registrar of Trade Unions, the DG of the Department of Social Services, and the Registrar of the Department of Joint Stock Companies and Firms.
Earlier, a legal notice was sent to the authorities concerned demanding the cancellation of all Secretariat associations for staging protests in violation of the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1979.
Following the legal notice sent by Arif on June 1, the writ petition has now been filed in continuation of that notice.
