Dhaka: The High Court on Sunday stayed for six months the Sonali Bank’s recruitment process for engineer and IT personnel posts.

An HC bench comprising justice Quazi Reza-Ul-Hoque and justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman passed the order following a writ petition filed by Golam Hakkani Alam, grandson of freedom fighter Yeasin Ali of Rajshahi.

The court also issued a rule asking the government to explain why the recruitment circular issued by Sonali Bank should not be declared illegal.

The public administration secretary, the Bangladesh Bank governor, and the chairman, managing director and deputy general manager (HR) of Sonali Bank have been made respondents to the rule.

Mohammad Asaduzzaman stood for the petitioner while deputy attorney general Taposh Kumar Biswas represented the state.

On 12 May, Sonali Bank published advertisements in national dailies for recruiting engineers and IT personnel in seven categories.

However, Sonali Bank did not mention anything about the grandchildren of freedom fighters in the freedom fighter quota.

Asaduzzaman said the Public Administration Ministry on 16 January 2011 issued a circular which it said if sons and daughters of freedom fighters cannot find, their grandchildren can apply for government job in the freedom fighter quota.