A High Court Division Bench of (he Supreme Court yesterday issued a rule nisi on the Ministry of Law, the Ministry of Information and the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) to show cause why the Clause 54 ol the 1995 Service Rule of BSS would not be declared to have been applied without lawful authority.

The Division Bench, comprising lustice Md. Abdul Matin and Justice Marzi-UlUaq. issued the rule following a writ petition Hied by Md. Afzal Hossain, a sub-editor of BSS, and asked the both sides to maintain status quo on his termination order.

Afzal Hossain, whose job was regularised in April 1997. has been terminated without showing any reason.

On behalf of the petitioner, former law minister Abdul Matin Khasni mentioned that the BSS Service Rule is contrary to (he Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service's) Act and Employment of labour (Standing Order) Act.