Legality of govt action to shut Lakehead school branches questioned

The High Court today questioned legality of the government’s decision to shut the activities of two branches of Lakehead Grammar School in Dhaka on allegations of patronising militancy and inspiring extremist views.

It issued three separate rules asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain why the decision to stop the functions of Dhanmondi and Gulshan branches of the school should not be declared without lawful authority.

In the rules, the HC also asked the authorities to explain why they should not be directed to resume the activities of the branches.

The bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan came up with the rules after hearing three separate writ petitions challenging the legality of the government’s decision.

AF Hasan Ariff, lawyer of the petitioner Khaled Hassan Matin, also proprietor of the school, told The Daily Star that the HC issued the rules on the grounds that the government stopped functions of the school branches without issuing any prior notice to the authorities concerned of the institution.

The government can take action against any person of the school if he or she is involved any criminal activities, but, the educational activities of its students cannot be stopped, he said.

The lawyer also said that they will move the petitions before the HC on Sunday for a stay order on the government’s decision so that the school can run the activities.  

The district administration of Dhaka on November 7 sealed both the Dhanmondi and Gulshan branches of Lakehead Grammar School, shutting all its activities for alleged links to extremism and militancy.

Advocate AF Hasan Ariff, Barrister Akhter Imam and Barrister Rashna Imam appeared for the petitioners, while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam represented the government.