Bangladesh: Educational institutions reopen after a month of closure

Bangladesh on Sunday reopened all educational institutions, including universities, secondary schools and colleges, across the country after more than a month of closure due to violence centered around the student-led protests which led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Educational institutions in Bangladesh were closed indefinitely on 17 July to ensure the safety of students in the wake of clashes that erupted during the recent movement demanding reform of the job quota system.

The ministry of education on Thursday issued a directive to reopen the institutions under its jurisdiction. All the educational institutions reopened on Sunday, after a month of closure.

According to Somoy Television, a Bengali news channel based in Dhaka, “All concerned have been asked to take necessary steps to resume academic activities in all the educational institutions from 18 August following the instruction of chief adviser Muhammad Yunus,” a notification signed by deputy secretary Mosammat Rahima Akhtar said on 15 August.

In the morning, school students in uniform were seen going to their institutions, many accompanied by guardians, the Daily Star reported.

Many points of Dhaka city are witnessing severe traffic congestion due to the reopening of educational institutions. The working week is from Sunday to Thursday in Bangladesh.

Initially, classes were scheduled to resume on 4 August in all government primary schools, except in the 12 city corporations and Narsingdi municipality, but this was also postponed.

Meanwhile, the postponed higher secondary certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations will resume from 11 September. According to the revised routine, the exams will be completed on 23 October.

Classes at public universities have been suspended since 1 July, when teachers went on strike to protest a new pension scheme.

After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on 5 August, the educational institutions were declared open on 7 August, but academic activities could not be resumed fully owing to low attendance.