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The High Court has issued a rule asking why a minimum educational qualification of a bachelor’s degree should not be made mandatory for candidates contesting the post of Union Parishad (UP) chairman.
The court also sought an explanation as to why Section 26 of the Local Government (Union Parishad) Act, 2009—which does not set any educational requirement for chairman candidates—should not be declared inconsistent with the Constitution.
The rule was issued on Wednesday by a High Court bench comprising Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar after a preliminary hearing of a writ petition filed by two Supreme Court lawyers.
In the rule, the court asked why directives should not be given to ensure that candidates seeking to contest the UP chairman post meet at least a graduate-level qualification under Section 26 of the law.
The court has asked the secretaries of the Local Government Division, the Law Ministry, and the Chief Election Commissioner to respond to the rule.
Earlier, Supreme Court lawyers Kazi Ferdousul Hasan and Md Tanvir Ahmed Khan filed the writ petition.
Petitioner lawyer Kazi Ferdousul Hasan argued that a UP chairman holds significant authority, including the power to conduct village court proceedings. In such courts, the chairman plays a role in adjudicating civil and criminal matters involving claims of up to Tk 300,000.
He noted that, in contrast, a magistrate exercising similar judicial powers must hold a law degree and pass the Bangladesh Judicial Service Commission (BJSC) examination. However, there is currently no mandatory educational qualification required to become a UP chairman.
For this reason, the petition challenges Section 26 of the Local Government (Union Parishad) Act, 2009 and seeks a directive to make a bachelor’s degree compulsory for candidates contesting the UP chairman post.