No bar to keep schools open in Ramadan: Appellate Division

There is no bar to keeping schools open during Ramadan, ruled the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today (12 March).

A bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan, issued the order after staying the High Court's order suspending the decision to keep primary and secondary schools open during the month of Ramadan.

As a result of this order, there remains no obstacle to keep primary and secondary schools open during Ramadan, lawyers said.

Attorney General AM Amin, who represented the state, said keeping schools open during Ramadan is a policy decision of the government. In this case the court cannot interfere, he added.

He also presented a picture of educational institutions in Muslim majority countries which showed that nowhere in the world do educational institutions remain closed for the whole Ramadan.

Senior lawyer AKM Faiz, who stood for the writ, said, "Bangladesh is not like other countries. If schools remain open during Ramadan, both parents and students face issues. Traffic jams are created if schools remain open."

The High Court on Sunday (10 March) stayed for two months the government's decision to keep the primary and secondary schools open in the first 10 and 15 days of Ramadan respectively. During the hearing, Attorney General AM Amin Uddin represented the state in court, while senior lawyer AKM Faiz represented the petitioner.

On 8 February, the government amended the holiday list for educational institutions keeping the regular activities of secondary schools open for 15 days during the month of Ramadan. The Education Ministry issued a notice in this regard.

The Primary and Mass Education Ministry issued another notice to keep the activities of primary schools during the month of Ramadan for ten days.

Advocate Md Ilias Ali Mandal, a guardian, filed a writ petition on 25 February, challenging the two orders of the government.

Secretaries to the Primary and Mass Education Ministry, Education Ministry, deputy secretary of Primary and Mass Education Ministry and deputy secretary of Education Ministry, Director General of the Directorate of Primary Education Department, Director of Child Welfare Trust were made respondents.