The Appellate Division has halted the High Court’s ruling designating August 15 as a public holiday and National Mourning Day.
On Sunday, a five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed rendered the decision in response to a state appeal petition.
Additional Attorney General Aneek R. Haque presented the state’s petition at the hearing.
“The Appellate Division has suspended the 2008 High Court verdict and granted the state’s request for leave to appeal,” he stated.
The Bangabandhu The assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members occurred on August 15, 1975. When the Awami League took power in 1996, they proclaimed August 15 to be a national holiday and National Mourning Day.
When the BNP-led 4-Party Alliance took power in 2001, they abolished the public holiday and abandoned the designation of August 15 as National Mourning Day.
Based on a petition, the High Court ruled in 2008 to overturn the BNP-led government’s order and maintain August 15 as a public holiday and National Mourning Day.
Now, the state is contesting that ruling.
Amidst a widespread uprising, Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister on August 5 and left the nation. After that, an interim administration took control.
The temporary administration decided to once more revoke National Mourning Day and its status as a public holiday on August 13.
