Dhaka, Dec 10 (IANS): The Bangladesh High Court on Tuesday directed that top level officials of the government must say "Joy Bangla" at the beginning and ending of all state programmes from December 16 onwards.

The bench of justices F.R.M. Nazmul Ahasan and K.M. Kamrul Kader gave the order on Tuesday after hearing a petition in this regard.

The bench said: "The slogan 'Joy Bangla' has united the nation to fight in the Liberation War led by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."

On Dec 4 2017, the High Court issued a ruling asking why "Joy Bangla" should not be declared the national slogan, after lawyer Bashir Ahmed filed a writ seeking directives for it.

Advocate Bashir said Joy Bangla was the slogan of freedom fighters and people of Bangladesh during the Liberation War in 1971.

"Joy Bangla was the slogan of our independence and national unity and therefore it should remain as the national slogan -- a symbol of national spirit and patriotism, he said in the petition.

Bashir Ahmed represented himself at the hearing on December 4. The Cabinet, law and education secretaries were made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench of Justice Nazmul Ahasan and Justice Kamrul Kader also expressed dissatisfaction at the use of "Bangladesh Zindabad" slogan saying that such slogan is used in Pakistan.

The HC bench fixed January 14 for further hearing on the writ petition.

The High Court on December 4 observed that "Joy Bangla" was the only slogan at home and abroad during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.

Even some poets, litterateurs and intellectuals of the then West Pakistan had chanted the slogan and therefore, they were arrested and sent to jail in 1971.

The bench said when the Pakistan occupation force shot freedom fighters during the war, they embraced death chanting "Joy Bangla".

Deputy Attorney General Abdullah-Al-Mahmud Bashar told the court that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had finished his historic March 7 speech with "Joy Bangla", which is now part of the Constitution of the state.