A petition has been filed with the High Court seeking appointment of clinical psychologists in all the educational institutes in the country.
Supreme Court lawyer Farhad Uddin Ahmed lodged the writ on Sunday (Nov 24).
He said that the petition is likely to be presented in the bench of M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman.
The writ says that the laxity in appointing counselors and clinical psychologists is in conflict with section 17, 18 and 32 of the Constitution.
It said that it’s the state’s duty to adopt effective measures to ensure education and health care for the citizens. However, drug abuse, suicide attempts, sexual harassment have increased alarmingly.
The petition said that section 15 (as) says, “it shall be a fundamental responsibility of the State to attain, through planned economic growth, a constant increase of productive forces and a steady improvement in the material and cultural standard of living of the people, with a view to securing to its citizens -the provision of the basic necessities of life, including food, clothing, shelter, education and medical care,” while section 32 provisions that “no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty save in accordance with law.”
The University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman, education, public administration, health and family planning, primary and mass education secretaries and the directorate of education chief have been made respondents to the petitions.