The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has stayed the High Court judgment that declared ‘Joy Bangla’ as the national slogan.

A four-member apex court bench, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, passed the order granting a leave to appeal petition filed by the state in this regard.

Additional Attorney General Anik R Haque represented the state during the hearing.

Earlier, on 2 December, the state filed a petition seeking suspension of the High Court verdict that declared "Joy Bangla" as the national slogan.

On 10 March 2020, during the Awami League tenure, a High Court bench comprising Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader issued the verdict declaring "Joy Bangla" as the national slogan, following a 2017 writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Dr Bashir Ahmed.