Dhaka, Sep 13 (V7N)- The High Court has ruled that a resignation letter obtained from a teacher under duress has no legal validity and ordered his immediate reinstatement.
The court also warned that failure to implement its directives could lead to punitive action, including suspension of the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) benefits of the institution’s acting headmaster.
The ruling came in the case of Md. Alkach Uddin Ahmed vs. The State. A High Court bench comprising Justice Md. Iqbal Kabir and Justice S.M. Saiful Islam delivered the verdict on August 20 following the final hearing of a writ petition.
The petition challenged the legality of forcing Md. Alkach Uddin Ahmed, headmaster of Golam Nabi Model Pilot High School in Kaliakair, Gazipur, to resign.
The full text of the judgment was published recently. The main judgment was written by the senior judge of the bench, Justice Md. Iqbal Kabir.
During the announcement of the verdict, lawyers Md. Jahurul Islam Mukul and Manabendra Roy represented the petitioner, while lawyer S.M. Rezaul Islam represented the president of the school’s managing committee.
In its judgment, the High Court observed that the resignation letter had not been submitted voluntarily or out of the petitioner’s own free will. Instead, his signature had been obtained through force.
The court therefore held that the resignation had no legal validity and directed the authorities concerned to immediately reinstate the teacher to his position.
The court further warned that failure to comply with the order could result in punitive measures against those responsible for implementing the judgment.
END/SMA/AJ
