During the holy month of Ramadan, primary and secondary educational institutions will remain open, as stated by the Appellate Division. This decision was made by a five-member bench led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan, suspending a previous order from the High Court. The state was represented in the hearing by Attorney General A.M. Amin Uddin, while Senior Advocate A.K.M. Foize argued on behalf of the writ petitioner.

Previously, on March 10, the High Court had suspended the decision of the Ministry of Education to keep primary and secondary schools open throughout Ramadan, following a preliminary hearing of a writ petition filed by a student’s guardian. This bench was formed by Justice K.M. Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat.

It’s important to note that on February 8, the Ministry of Education had partially amended the holiday list and academic calendar to decide that secondary schools would remain open for 15 days during Ramadan. Following this, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education also announced that classes would be held for 10 days during Ramadan. This decision was challenged in the High Court by a writ petition filed by a guardian of a student.

In the hearing, Attorney General A.M. Amin Uddin argued that keeping schools open during Ramadan is a policy decision by the government, and the court should not interfere. He presented examples of Muslim-majority countries where educational institutions do not close for the entire month of Ramadan. On the other hand, Senior Advocate A.K.M. Foize argued that the situation in Bangladesh is different from other countries, suggesting that keeping schools open during Ramadan poses problems for both guardians and students, contributing to traffic congestion.

The matter was initially not stayed by the High Court on Monday, instead being forwarded for hearing to the Appellate Division. The Appellate Division’s Chamber Judge M. Inayetur Rahim then made the decision to send the case for hearing. During the hearing, arguments were made emphasizing the sacredness of Ramadan, the precedent of institutions being closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the practical difficulties of traffic congestion and guardian distress if schools remain open. Additionally, it was mentioned that guardians have been organizing human chains in various places demanding the closure of schools during Ramadan. Ultimately, the decision by the High Court to keep primary and secondary schools open during Ramadan was appealed against by the state, following the suspension of the decision by the High Court the previous Sunday, with the order given by Justices K.M. Kamrul Kader and Khizir Hayat of the High Court bench.