The High Court (HC) has declared illegal any strike or hartal called against a court judgment and directed authorities to take action against bus owners’ associations or workers’ organisations if they call such programmes.

A High Court division bench of Justice Sashanka Shekhar Sarkar and Justice Faysal Hasan Arif pronounced the judgment, declaring absolute a rule it had issued earlier.

“Court judgments are binding on all under Article 112 of the Constitution. Although there is a provision for appealing against a court judgment, calling a strike in protest against the judgment is illegal and unconstitutional,” the court said.

Senior advocate Manjil Murshid moved the plea filed by rights body Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), while Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Ahsan Habib argued for the state. Advocate Md Rafiul Islam stood for Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).