Petition seeks 10pc FF representation

A rights organisation yesterday filed a writ petition with the High Court, seeking its order on the government to preserve 10 percent seats for the freedom fighters in parliament and local government institutions.

“Barura Shikkha and Manob Kalyan Trust” submitted the petition, also challenging the government's inaction for not preserving the 10 percent seats.

In the petition, the rights body Chairman Advocate Md Arifur Rahman Majumder said thousands of brilliant sons of this soil actively participated in the 1971 Liberation War.

For the advancement of their (freedom fighters) works, it is necessary to have their own representation. For this, a quota has to be preserved in parliament for the freedom fighters to be elected to point out prevailing problems and a systematic solution to those.

He also prayed to the HC to issue a rule upon the respondents to explain why their inaction to preserve 10 percent seats for the freedom fighters should not be declared illegal.

Secretary to the liberation war affairs ministry, chairman of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Command Council and law secretary have been made respondents to the rule.

Advocate Arifur Rahman told The Daily Star that the HC may hold a hearing on the petition next Sunday.