Bangladesh on Sunday reopened all educational institutions, including universities, secondary schools and colleges, after they were closed for more than a month since student-led protests turned violent and forced the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Educational institutions in Bangladesh were closed indefinitely on July 17 to ensure the safety of students in the wake of clashes during a recent agitation demanding reform of the job quota system.
The Ministry of Education on Thursday issued a directive to reopen institutions under its jurisdiction. All educational institutions reopened on Sunday after remaining closed for a month.
“Following the directive of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, all concerned have been asked to take necessary steps to resume academic activities in all educational institutions from August 18,” a notification signed by Deputy Secretary Mosammat Rahima Akhter said on August 15, according to Dhaka-based Bengali news channel Somoy Television.
School students were seen heading to their institutions in uniforms in the morning, many of them accompanied by their parents, the Daily Star reports.
Heavy traffic congestion is being witnessed at many places in Dhaka city due to the reopening of educational institutions.
The working week in Bangladesh is from Sunday to Thursday.
Initially, all government primary schools, except those in 12 municipal corporations and Narsingdi Municipality, were scheduled to resume classes on August 4, but this too was postponed.
Meanwhile, the postponed Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations will resume from September 11.
As per the revised schedule, the exams will be concluded on October 23.
Classes at public universities have been suspended since July 1, when teachers went on strike to protest against a new pension scheme.
After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on 5 August, educational institutions were announced to open on 7 August, but academic activities could not be fully resumed due to low attendance of students.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
