HC verdict on retirement age of freedom fighters stayed

The Supreme Court today stayed for eight weeks a High Court verdict that scrapped the provision of public servant retirement law enhancing the retirement age limit for the freedom fighter public servants from 59 years to 60 years.

Chamber judge of the Appellate Division of the SC Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the government seeking stay on the HC verdict.

The 60 years as the retirement age limit for the freedom fighter public servants will remain in force following the apex court’s stay order until its hearing on an appeal against the HC verdict, Additional Attorney General Murad Reza told The Daily Star.

He said the government will place an appeal before the SC after receiving the full text of the HC verdict.

During hearing today, Murad Reza told the SC that if the HC verdict remains in force, the freedom fighters will be victimised.  

Following two separate writ petitions, the HC on April 11 scrapped the provision of the Public Servant Retirement (Amendment) Act, 2013 that enhanced the retirement age limit for the freedom fighter public servants from 59 years to 60 years.

The HC also observed that the retirement age limit of the freedom fighters should be extended to 61 years instead of current 60 years.