The High Court today stayed for four weeks the effectiveness of a circular issued by the BASIC Bank authorities on reducing the salary structure of its employees.

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government and BASIC Bank to explain why the circular should not be declared illegal.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman came up with the order and rule following a writ petition recently filed by six employees of BASIC Bank including its General Manager Abu Md Mofazzal and Deputy General Manager Sanjoy Kumar Datta challenging the legality of the circular.

Advocate Subir Nandi Das, a lawyer for the writ petitioners, told The Daily Star that the BASIC Bank’s employees will get salaries under the previous salary structure following the HC’s stay order. 

The board of directors of BASIC Bank issued a circular on December 22 saying that its employees will be paid salaries equal to those of the government service holders, and therefore, the salary structure of BASIC Bank employees came down by around 50 per cent, he said.

The lawyer said BASIC Bank is a private bank although the government is a shareholder of the bank, and therefore, its (BASIC Bank) employees’ salary structure cannot be reduced.

Advocate AM Aminuddin appeared for the writ petitioners, while Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder represented the state.