A Supreme Court lawyer yesterday filed a writ petition with the High Court, challenging the legality of appointments of 70 deputy attorney generals (DAGs) and 105 assistant attorney generals (AAGs).

The government appointed 70 SC lawyers as new DAGs and 105 as new AAGs on July 21 and July 7 respectively for representing the state in cases before the SC's Appellate and HC divisions.

Yesterday, Advocate Farhad Uddin Ahmed Bhuiyan submitted the petition, saying that few of the DAGs don't have experience in practicing law for at least 10 years and some of the AAGs for at least five years before the Appellate and HC divisions.

According to Bangladesh Law Officers Act, 2001, a lawyer has to have experience of practicing law for at least 10 years before the HC in order to be appointed as a DAG. At the same time, a lawyer has to have experience of practicing law for at least five years before the HC in order to be appointed as an AAG, he told The Daily Star.

Farhad prayed to the HC to issue a rule asking the government to show cause why the appointments and its inaction to establish an independent prosecution service to regulate all affairs of the law officers should not be declared illegal.

He said the HC may hold hearing on the petition any day this week.