SC orders to reinstate 140 BSMMU doctors

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday ordered to reinstate 140 doctors at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), declaring the time they passed out of office as unpaid leave, reports BSS.

"The apex court passed the order allowing the appeals in this regard. But the doctors will not get the salary for the time they had to remain out of post," petitioners` counsel Tanim Hossain Shaon told the newsmen.

A five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order this morning.

On May 26, 2005, the BSMMU, at its 20th syndicate meeting, decided to create 200 posts of medical officers. As per the decision, a circular of recruitment was issued on October 18 the same year.

Professor M Iqbal Arslan, the then secretary general of Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad, filed a writ petition with the HC challenging the legality of the circular.

On January 2007, the HC stayed the recruitment process and issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why the recruitment advertisement should not be declared illegal.

Following a petition filed by the BSMMU, the HC vacated the stay order with some directions.

On March 1, 2007, BSMMU made the appointments and in 2008 the appointments were regularized. But in 2010, the High Court declared illegal the appointment circular. The 140 doctors in 2011 filed a leave to appeal petition with the apex court against the High Court order. On February 22, 2017, the Appellate Division dismissed the plea, making the petitioners to file a review plea.