Reinstate 988 employees of NU: SC

The Supreme Court yesterday ordered the government to reinstate 988 employees of the National University (NU), who were dismissed by Awami League government in 2011 and 2012 on charge of anomalies in recruitments.

The Appellate Division of the SC also directed the authorities concerned of the government to give all the due benefits to the employees after their reinstatements.

A seven-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed delivered the verdict following an appeal and three separate review petitions filed by the NU challenging the verdicts delivered earlier by the High Court and Appellate Divisions on this issue.

Salahuddin Dolon, principal counsel for NU, told The Daily Star that around 50 of the 988 deprived employees have already died.

However, the families of the dead employees will get the benefits following the SC verdict, he added.

Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman and senior lawyer Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal also appeared for the NU during hearing of the appeal and review petitions.

The employees in question were originally appointed between 2003 and 2004 during the regime of the then BNP-led government.

After a series of legal battle, the HC declared their appointments illegal and the Appellate Division also upheld the HC verdict during the regime of Awami League government.