Two Bogura Schools: SC stays HC order to halt removal of Zia’s name

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday stayed for eight weeks the High Court orders that halted the education ministry's decision to remove the name of late president Ziaur Rahman from the titles of two high schools in Bogura.

The schools are Shahid Ziaur Rahman Girls' High School and Gabtali Shahid Zia High School.

Chamber judge of the Appellate Division Justice Md Nuruzzaman passed the stay orders following two separate petitions filed by the state seeking a stay on the HC orders, Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy told The Daily Star.

He said Ziaur Rahman's name will not be mentioned in the two Bogura schools following the Appellate Division orders.

Citing the state's petitions, he said the government has brought changes to the names of 480 schools across the country in line with its policy decision and therefore, the HC cannot interfere in the issue.

The education ministry on April 19 last year issued an order changing the name of Shahid Ziaur Rahman Girls High School to Sukhanpukur Bondor Girls High School and Gabtali Shahid Zia High School to Gabtali Purba Para High School.

On December 28, the HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam stayed the education ministry's decision for six months.

The HC bench also issued two separate rules asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain in four weeks why they should not be ordered to reinstate the name of Ziaur Rahman to the schools' titles.

The bench came up with the orders and rules following two separate writ petitions filed by the presidents of the schools' management committees challenging the legality of the education ministry's decision.