HC clears way for Sonali Bank’s promotion policy
FE REPORT | Tuesday, 12 December 2023
The High Court (HC) has cleared the way for the authorities of the Sonali Bank Ltd (SBL) to continue with its promotion proceedings.
The development came as the HC rejected a rule that questioned the legality of the promotion proceedings of the state-owned bank.
The HC bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar delivered the verdict after hearing the rule on Sunday.
Seventy-nine promotion seekers of the bank filed a writ on 17 April 2023 with a plea to seek legal redress.
On April 18, an HC bench issued a rule upon government bodies concerned to explain as to why the Promotion Policy 2022 should not be declared illegal as it was giving priority to seniority over merit.
However, the HC bench did not issue any stay on the effectiveness of the promotion policy, paving the way for the authorities to start the proceedings recently.
The petitioners then filed a supplementary petition with the HC seeking stay on the proceedings.
On October 15, the HC rejected it after hearing the petition.
The same day they moved the chamber judge's court, which upon hearing their petition, issued a status quo till December 11 on the promotion proceedings.
The Appellate Division on November 27 upheld the chamber judge's status-quo order. The apex court also directed the Justice Khasruzzaman-led bench to hold hearing and dispose of the rule issued in the regard within December 10.
Lawyers Probir Neogi and Bivuti Tarofder appeared on behalf of the petitioners, while barrister Shaikh Mohammad Zakir Hossain represented Sonali Bank.
Mohammad Akkas Ali, principal officer of Sonali Bank's Farmgate branch, and other officials filed the writ challenging the legality of the promotion policy.
The Sonali Bank board of directors approved the new policy on February 28.
The policy stipulates that if the number of candidates eligible for promotion from officer to DGM is more than three times, maximum three will be considered for interview against each vacant post from the prepared seniority list.
In this case, only 300 senior officers will get call against 100 vacant posts. Beyond this, they will not be called for promotion even if they are more qualified.