Dhaka: The High Court (HC) has declared illegal any strike or hartal called in protest of a court judgment and has instructed relevant authorities to take appropriate action against bus owners' associations or workers' organizations that initiate such protests.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, a High Court division bench comprising Justice Sashanka Shekhar Sarkar and Justice Faysal Hasan Arif announced the judgment, which affirmed a rule previously issued by the court. The bench emphasized that court judgments are binding on all under Article 112 of the Constitution. While there is a legal provision for appealing against a court judgment, organizing a strike in opposition to the judgment is deemed illegal and unconstitutional by the court.
Senior advocate Manjil Murshid represented the plea filed by the rights body Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB). Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Ahsan Habib defended the state, and Advocate Md Rafiul Islam appeared for the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).