A writ petition has been filed in the High Court challenging the validity of the decision to keep primary and secondary schools open during the upcoming month of Ramadan.

Public interest lawyer Md Elias Ali Mandal submitted the writ to the relevant branch of the High Court on Sunday.

The respondents in the writ include the primary and mass education secretary, the education secretary, the deputy secretary, the director general (DG) of the Directorate of Primary Education, and the director of the Child Welfare Trust.
Lawyer Elias said: ÒIslam is the state religion of Bangladesh as mentioned in the constitution. Every year during the holy month of Ramadan, educational institutions are closed at this time considering the health of everyone, including children and adolescents. However, although madrasas are closed for the entire month of Ramadan this year, it has been decided to keep primary schools open for the first 10 days of Ramadan and secondary schools for the first 15 days of Ramadan.Ó

ÒThis is in conflict with Articles 26, 27, 28, 31, 32 of the Constitution. I sent a legal notice for these reasons and filed a writ today (Sunday) after getting no response,Ó he added.

He further mentioned that the hearing might take place in the bench led by Justice Naima Haider later this week.

The writ requests the High Court to declare the government’s decision to keep primary schools open for the first 10 days of Ramadan and secondary schools for the first 15 days of Ramadan as invalid.

Additionally, it urges the court to order the closure of schools during the entire month of Ramadan until the matter is resolved.