High Court orders closure of secondary schools throughout Ramadan

It asks authorities to explain why the difference in holiday schedules between madrasas and general schools should not be declared unlawful

The High Court has directed that government and private secondary and lower secondary schools remain closed for the entire month of Ramadan.

The order was issued on Sunday by the panel of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Md Ashif Hasan, which also issued a rule over the disparity in holiday schedules between general schools and madrasas.

The directive follows a public interest writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Elyas Ali Mondal challenging the 2026 academic calendar.

According to the existing schedule, secondary and lower secondary schools were to remain open for the first 18 days of Ramadan before closing from Mar 8 for the remainder of the month.

In contrast, madrasas were scheduled to remain closed from Feb 15 to Mar 26.

After hearing the petition, the court ordered that secondary and lower secondary schools remain closed for the entire month of Ramadan from Feb 18.

The bench also issued a rule asking authorities to explain why the difference in holiday schedules between madrasas and general schools should not be declared unlawful.