Govt shuts down madrasas that stayed open in coronavirus lockdown

The government has ordered immediate closure of Qawmi madrasas and other religious schools that are open amid the coronavirus lockdown.

The education ministry said on Tuesday that some residential and non-residential madrasas remained open despite government orders to shut down, which is “very risky” amid a record surge in COVID-19 cases.

The Technical and Madrasah Education Division under the ministry said in a notice that no negligence in implementing the shutdown order will be tolerated.

The order is not applicable to the orphanages, reports bdnews24.com.

All the educational institutions across Bangladesh have been closed since mid-March last year. Some Qawmi madrasas were allowed to reopen in July 2020 on condition that they will follow the health rules properly.

The government had announced the reopening of the schools and colleges by the end of March this year, but the plan finally stalled due to the resurgence of coronavirus infection.

In the notice ordering the extension of the shutdown, the government ordered the Qawmi madrasas to stop operations as well.