Top appeals court to decide fate of evicted Baily Road school

The Supreme Court's chamber judge has forwarded the petition against shifting a government primary school at Dhaka's Baily Road to the full bench of the Appellate Division.

The state moved to the court of chamber judge Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana on Tuesday to stay a previous High Court order to move the school to the premises of Bangladesh Girl Guides Association.

After hearing the matter, the judge forwarded it to the Appellate Division. The hearing is supposed to be held on Sept 7.

Former judge and lawyer Md Monsurul Haque Chowdhury represented Bangladesh Girl Guides Association on Tuesday while Additional Attorney General Murad Reza argued for the state.

"The chamber judge did not rule over the matter and forwarded it to the full bench. The decision will come from there," Reza told reporters after the hearing.

Chowdhury said: "The chamber judge did not stay the High Court's order. So, the ruling to move the school is still valid."

Bangladesh Girl Guides Association has been claiming the site, where the school used to be, as its property.

It had sent a letter in this regard to the then Primary and Mass Education Department in 2002 to move the school.

Later, it was decided that the school will be merged with the nearby Nidhu Smriti Government Primary School. But, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education revoked the order in 2008.

Bangladesh Girl Guides Association moved the High Court the same year challenging the ministry's decision. In February this year, the High Court ordered relocation of the school from the site.

The school was removed from the premises during the Eid vacation. School authorities found out on Aug 7, after the holidays, that the school had been razed to the ground.

Since then, they have been taking classes and tests under the open sky.

The state moved the Appellate Division to stay the High Court order after the media ran reports on the matter.