The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal filed against the High Court order that dismissed a writ petition challenging the government decision to refund the timescale facilities enjoyed by a section of primary school teachers after their jobs were nationalised.
The Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, rejected the appeal yesterday, Monday.
Barrister Mokshedul Islam appeared for the petitioners in the apex court.
The High Court on February 28 in 2021 rejected the writ petition that challenged the Finance Ministry’s decision (circular) to refund the timescale facilities given to 48,720 government primary school teachers.
In a programme of the primary teachers, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on January 9 in 2013 announced the nationalisation of the jobs of the teachers working in thousands of private primary schools across the country.
Later, their jobs were nationalised in 2013 and 2014 and the teachers were getting the facilities as per the rule.
But on August 12 in 2020, the Finance Ministry issued a circular asking the 48,720 primary teachers, whose jobs were nationalised from the private schools, to refund the timescale benefits given to them as those were given mistakenly.
Under this circumstance, Aminul Islam Chowdhury, a primary school teacher of Sirajganj district, filed the writ petition challenging the notification of the ministry.
After hearing, the High Court bench of Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice SM Kuddus Zaman on August 31 in 2020 stayed the notification of the Finance Ministry for four months.
The higher court also issued a ruling upon the respondents to explain as to why the notification issued by the Finance Ministry on August 12 in 2020 to refund the timescale benefit by the primary teachers should not be declared illegal.
Primary and Mass Education Secretary and other respondents were asked to comply with the ruling.
Following a government appeal, the Supreme Court’s Chamber Judge on September 13 in 2020 stayed the High Court order and sent the case to the regular bench of the apex court for detailed hearing.
The Appellate Division on January 13 in 2021 directed the High Court to dispose of the writ petition within three weeks.
After a detailed hearing, the High Court bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam on February 28 in 2021 rejected the writ with an observation that the petitioners may appear before an administrative tribunal for remedy over the issue.
