OSD for not more than 150 days: HC

In a verdict, the High Court yesterday declared illegal the system of keeping Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for more than 150 days. The HC bench also directed the government to reinstate the OSD officials, who were made OSD more than 150 days ago, in their previous positions and to form a high-powered committee headed by senior secretary level officials to look after the matter regarding the reinstatement of the OSD officials.

The committee was asked to submit a progress report within 90 days before releasing the full text of the verdict. It is very unfortunate that the officials, who were made OSD, are being humiliated in the society and they face difficulty to marry their sons and daughters off. They are going to office and coming back home without doing any work. However, they get salaries given from the tax that is collected from people’s hard-earned money.

The OSD employees cannot work for the people for long time even, according to an observation of the HC bench. After concluding final hearing on a writ petition, the HC bench comprising Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and Justice Ahmed Sohel came up with the order and observations.

Earlier, on June 4 in 2012, the then HC bench comprising Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar ordered the government to submit a report within eight weeks regarding how many officials were made OSD in public administration in last 10 years.It further issued a rule asking the government to explain in eight weeks why the government action keeping the officials OSD for unlimited period without specific reasons and spending state money for paying their salaries should not be declared illegal.

In the rule, the court also asked the government to explain why the government should not be directed to make a guideline on OSD procedure. The writ petition was filed by former secretary Mohammad Asafuddowla challenging the existing system of keeping officials OSD without any proper reason for unlimited period. Advocate Aneek R Haque appeared for the petitioner while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam with the assistance of deputy attorney general Amit Das Gupta represented the state.

 

OSD for not more than 150 days: HC

In a verdict, the High Court yesterday declared illegal the system of keeping Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for more than 150 days. The HC bench also directed the government to reinstate the OSD officials, who were made OSD more than 150 days ago, in their previous positions and to form a high-powered committee headed by senior secretary level officials to look after the matter regarding the reinstatement of the OSD officials. The committee was asked to submit a progress report within 90 days before releasing the full text of the verdict. It is very unfortunate that the officials, who were made OSD, are being humiliated in the society and they face difficulty to marry their sons and daughters off. They are going to office and coming back home without doing any work. However, they get salaries given from the tax that is collected from peoples hard-earned money. The OSD employees cannot work for the people for long time even, according to an observation of the HC bench. After concluding final hearing on a writ petition, the HC bench comprising Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and Justice Ahmed Sohel came up with the order and observations. Earlier, on June 4 in 2012, the then HC bench comprising Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar ordered the government to submit a report within eight weeks regarding how many officials were made OSD in public administration in last 10 years.It further issued a rule asking the government to explain in eight weeks why the government action keeping the officials OSD for unlimited period without specific reasons and spending state money for paying their salaries should not be declared illegal. In the rule, the court also asked the government to explain why the government should not be directed to make a guideline on OSD procedure. The writ petition was filed by former secretary Mohammad Asafuddowla challenging the existing system of keeping officials OSD without any proper reason for unlimited period. Advocate Aneek R Haque appeared for the petitioner while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam with the assistance of deputy attorney general Amit Das Gupta represented the state.