SC uphold stay on DU Bangla dept’s decision to keep students’ faces uncovered

Staff Reporter :
The Chamber Court of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday upheld a High Court order that stayed for six months the decision of Dhaka University’s Bangla department asking its female students to keep their faces, including their ears, uncovered during examinations and presentations.

Justice M Enayetur Rahim, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division, passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the state against the HC order. At the same time, the Chamber Judge sent the matter to the regular bench of the apex court and fixed May 22 for detail hearing on it there.

Supreme Court lawyers Belayet Hossain and Md Faizullah Faiz appeared on behalf of the writ petitioners, while Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder represented the state during the hearing in the Chamber Court.

Following a writ petition, the High Court on March 28 this year stayed for six months the decision of Dhaka University’s Bangla department asking its female students to keep their faces, including their ears, uncovered during examinations and presentations.
It also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain in four weeks as to why the department’s decision should not be declared illegal.

The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Ali passed the order after hearing the writ petition filed by three students of the department challenging the legality of the decision.

On February 19 this year, three female students at Dhaka University filed the writ petition challenging the legality of the university’s Bangla department decision about uncovering their faces and ears while sitting an exam and presentations.
According to the writ petition, Bangla department on December 11 last year issued a notice asking the students to keep their faces, including their ears, uncovered during all examinations and presentations. The female students who wear hijabs have been affected by the notice, the petition also read.

Lawyer Faizullah Faiz said the decision is contradictory to their religious belief and independence and therefore liable to be declared illegal.