The High Court yesterday issued a rule asking the cabinet secretary to explain in four weeks why he should not be directed to include the editors of national newspapers in the warrant of precedence for their roles in promoting good governance in the state and society.

The cabinet secretary was also asked to show causes why non-inclusion of editors in the protocol list, which is used for all government purposes, including ceremonial occasions, should not be declared illegal.

Justice Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Ashish Ranjan Das came up with the rule following a writ petition filed by Kazi Irteza Hassan, editor and publisher of the daily Vorerpata, seeking necessary orders on the government to include newspaper editors in the order of precedence.

Citing from the petition, petitioner's lawyer Barrister Raghib Rauf Chowdhury told The Daily Star that the teachers of medical and engineering colleges and upazila and union parishad chairmen were included in the order, but editors were left out.

Particular editors are invited and given dignity and status in the state functions as per the desire of the government authorities, so many others become discriminated against, he said.

The lawyer also said non-government professionals were included in the table of precedence of the countries like

India, Pakistan, Australia, and the UK.

But professionals like newspaper editors are not included in the protocol list of Bangladesh although they play important roles in promoting good governance, he added.

He also said the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court had observed in a verdict that freedom fighters, decorated with the Bir Uttam gallantry award, should be included in the list.