Bangladesh's Institute of Public Health director apologises for ordering Islamic dress code amid outcry

Md Abdur Rahim, the director at the Institute of Public Health, has withdrawn his own order that made following the Islamic dress code mandatory for its Muslim staff members.

He apologised for issuing the order “inadvertently” and promised “not to repeat such mistake” in a statement on Thursday evening amid a debate over the issue on social media.

Hours earlier, the Health Services Division asked him to explain which rules he had followed and which authority had permitted him to issue the circular.

Sharmin Akhter Jahan, the deputy secretary at the Health Services Division, in the show-cause notice on Thursday gave Rahim three working days to clear his position.

The notice said Health Minister Zahid Maleque has ordered the health and family welfare secretaries, and the director general of health services to take “urgent” steps.

The health ministry will update on the issue next Sunday.

The circular by Rahim triggered a debate on social media after stating on Wednesday that men must wear trousers above the ankle and women must cover themselves from head to toe in hijab.

It also ordered all employees to strictly maintain ‘purdah’, or seclusion, and asked them to keep their mobile phones turned off or on silent mode.    

“He (Rahim) can’t issue such a notice. Is he insane!” said ABM Khurshid Alam, the director general of health services, citing the public servant conduct rules.