Keep secondary schools closed in Ramadan: HC 

 
 
The High Court on Sunday directed the authorities concerned of the government to keep all high schools (Classes 6-10) closed throughout the month of Ramadan.

The HC bench comprising Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Md Ashif Hasan came up with the directive responding to a writ petition filed seeking necessary directives in this regard.

The HC, however, said both private and public schools can conduct scheduled public exams -- if there are any -- during this period, Deputy Attorney General Md Shafiqur Rahman said.

The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain why the decision to keep public and private high schools open for the first 18 days of Ramadan should not be declared illegal and unconstitutional.

The secretaries of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education have been made respondents in the petition.

Supreme Court lawyer Md Elyas Ali Mondal submitted the petition as a public interest litigation to the HC on January 20, saying that the Ministry of Education has issued two separate notices on December 26 last year over the closure of the schools and madrasas during the holy Ramadan this year.

In a notice, the ministry said the madrasas across the country will remain closed throughout the month of Ramadan and in another notice, the ministry said the secondary schools will remain open till the 18th Ramadan.

Citing the petition, Advocate Elyas Ali Mondal said that most of Bangladesh's citizens are Muslims.

Since the country's independence, educational institutions have traditionally remained closed during Ramadan, he said, adding that keeping the secondary schools open till the 18th Ramadan is "discriminatory, illegal and unconstitutional". Before filing the writ petition the law had on January 5 served a legal notice to the government, seeking closure of schools during Ramadan.

Lawyer Elyas Ali Mondal himself moved the petition while acting Attorney General Md Arshadur Rouf and DAG Shafiqur Rahman represented the state during the hearing of the petition.