HC stays admission process of 7 DU depts for 4 weeks

The High Court (HC) yesterday stayed for four weeks the operations of additional admission conditions that disqualify Aleem graduates for their admissions to seven departments at Dhaka University.
The departments include Bangla, English, International Relations, Mass Comm-unication and Journalism, Economics, Women and Gender Studies and Linguistics.
Upon an application filed by five DU admission seekers, an HC bench comprising Justice Mir Hasmat Ali and Justice Shamim Hasnain also fixed December 14 for hearing of the rule earlier issued by this court in this regard.
Counsel for the petitioners barrister Belayet Hossain told The Daily Star that following the HC order, the authorities cannot continue admission process in seven departments under its 'Kha' and 'Gha' units since the new conditions are related to the admission process.
The additional conditions inserted in the admission guidelines of the Dhaka University are discriminatory for the Aleem graduates, he said, adding that Aleem students will not be eligible to study in these seven subjects under the units.
Earlier on October 26, following the writ petition, the HC issued a rule upon the DU authorities to explain why the new admission conditions that disqualify Aleem graduates for their admissions to seven departments should not be declared illegal.
As per the new admission rules, an admission seeker must study English and Bangla courses of 200 marks each in HSC or equivalent examinations to be eligible for admission to those departments.
Economics department also introduced a condition that only the students who studied economics, not health economics or Islamic economics in HSC and equivalent exams, will be eligible for admission to the department.
Madrasa students study English and Bangla of 100 marks each and Islamic Economics. The writ petitioners yesterday filed the application to stay the operations of the additional guidelines.