BANGLADESH

The High Court has declared illegal the dismissal of 29 police officers, including two deputy inspectors general (DIG).

The bench of justices Naima Haider and Farid Ahmed passed the order on Monday after a final hearing of some of its rules that had earlier been passed upon the government seeking explanation.

The counsel for the petitioners Salahuddin Dolan told that the police officials had been dismissed on different occasions between 2002 and 2003 when the BNP-led four-party alliance government was in power.

One petition was lodged in 2002, five in 2010 and four last year challenging the dismissal orders.

The High Court had passed rules upon all the petitions, asking the government why the dismissal orders would not be declared illegal.

Salahuddin said the court in its order asked the government to reinstate the police officers, aged below 59 years, to their jobs with all facilities.

"The government has also been asked to provide all facilities and outstanding payments to the police officers who are already more than 59-year old considering them in service from their compulsory retirement to usual retirement age limit," he added.

Of the 29 petitioners, two are DIGs and five are SPs. The DIGs are Ruhul Amin and Abdul Manna and the SPs Kazi Anwar Hossain, Mojibur Rahman, Ahmed Jalil, Shah Alam and Washiquzzaman Khan.

The remaining 22 others are inspectors and sub-inspectors.

Deputy attorney general Moklesur Rahman argued for the state during the hearing.