Shawdesh desk:

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the reinstatement of 988 employees of the National University who were dismissed during the Awami League government’s tenure between 2011 and 2012.

A seven-member bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed delivered the verdict, directing the university authorities to reinstate the employees to their previous positions with full seniority.

The court, however, allowed the university discretion regarding the disbursement of back pay, treating the dismissed period as extraordinary leave, the employees’ lawyer Salaudddin Dolon told New Age.

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

Their termination followed a public interest litigation filed by former deputy speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah, which prompted a 2011 High Court ruling declaring the appointments legal.

That decision was later overturned by another High Court bench upon a review petition filed by a third party, upholding the terminations.

In 2016, the Appellate Division also rejected a leave-to-appeal petition from the dismissed employees, challenging the legality of their termination in a review petition by the third party, effectively affirming the High Court’s stance at the time.

However, following the ouster of the Awami League government through a student-led mass uprising on August 5, 2024, the dismissed employees filed a fresh appeal.

The Appellate Division subsequently revisited the matter and issued Tuesday’s directive, setting aside its previous position and granting full relief to the appellants.

Md Nazrul Islam, legal adviser to the National University, told New Age that the long-drawn legal battle was finally resolved after the change in government created scope for judicial reconsideration.