The Appellate Division will pass an order Tuesday (Aug 20) on a petition filed by the government seeking a stay on a High Court order to maintain status quo on publication of Gazette notification to implement the recommendation of 9th wage board for journalists.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Syed Mahmud Hossain fixed the date after concluding hearing on the government petition on Monday (Aug 19).

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam stood for the state while senior Advocate AF Hassan Arif moved for the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB).

On Aug 6, the High Court issued an order to maintain a status quo for two months on publication of gazette notification on implementing the recommendations of 9th wage board for journalists.

The court also issued a rule asking why it should not be declared illegal to not take into account the objections and recommendations made by NOAB.

The court has sought responses to the rule from the cabinet secretary, information secretary, labour secretary and Wage Board Chairman Nijamul Haque within four weeks.

The bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Mohammad Ali issued the status-quo after hearing a petition filed by Matiur Rahman, president of Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB), on August 5.

On Aug 14, the Supreme Court chamber judge fixed Aug 19 to hear a government appeal against the status quo issued by HC.