The High Court stayed for six months the recruitment process of state-owned Sonali Bank for engineer and IT personnel posts.

A bench comprising Justice Quazi Reza-Ul-Hoque and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman passed the order yesterday following a writ petition.

The petition was filed by Golam Hakkani Alam, grandson of freedom fighter Yeasin Ali of Rajshahi.

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

Public Administration secretary, Bangladesh Bank governor and chairman, managing director and deputy general manager (HR) of Sonali Bank were asked to respond.

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

On May 12, Sonali Bank published advertisements in different national dailies for recruitment of 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 January 16, 2011 issued a circular which it said if sons and daughters of freedom fighters cannot find jobs under the freedom fighters quota, their grandchildren can apply for the opportunity.