The High Court has issued a ruled asking the government to explain why its revised circular on freedom fighters’ minimum age would not be declared out of its illegal jurisdiction.

On Jan 17 this year, the government ministry issued a gazette notification fixing the minimum age at 12-and-a-half years, down from 13, to be eligible for earning the status of a freedom fighter.

Under the revised age limit, people who were aged at least 12-and-a-half years on November 30, 1971, will be eligible for applying for the status.

The HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal issue the rule on Sunday after finishing the initial hearing on a writ petition

Mahmud Hasan, director of the department of geological survey, filed the petition challenging the legality of the gazette notifications.

The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, its secretary, joint-secretary, secretaries of Finance and Power, Energy and Mineral Resources ministries, Director Generals of National Freedom Fighter Council and Geological Survey of Bangladesh (GSB) were made respondent to the rule, whom the HC asked to reply within four weeks.