The High Court on Monday ordered the closure of all primary and secondary level schools, colleges, and madrassahs across Bangladesh until May 2 due to the ongoing heatwave.

However, the education ministry, in a press release, caused confusion by stating that secondary-level schools, colleges, madrassahs, and technical educational institutions in 27 districts, including Dhaka, would remain closed only for Tuesday.

The primary and mass education ministry further added to the confusion by issuing a press release stating that classes in all government primary schools, Shishu Kalyan Trust schools, and Bureau of Non-Formal Education learning centres would remain closed until May 2.

The separate government orders, which came shortly after the High Court rule, left teachers at many educational institutions and guardians confused. 

The chaotic situation preceded a low presence of students at most primary schools that were kept open on Monday for the second day after the resumption of classes following a seven-day closure due to the heatwave.

Secondary-level schools, colleges, madrassahs, and technical educational institutions in five districts, including Dhaka, remained closed for Monday.

Schools having air-conditioned facilities, however, were allowed to run academic activities on the day in the capital.

The government authorities messed up with school closures amid a fresh 72-hour heat alert issued by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department on Sunday.

The alert came after at least 14 districts saw the day’s temperatures soar to 40C or above on Sunday.

On Sunday, educational institutions across the country resumed in-person classes, with the duration of classes being shortened and  all outdoor activities being suspended.

Many students fell sick and remained absent, while two teachers reportedly died of ‘heatstroke’ on the day.

The education ministry on Sunday instructed to close all secondary-level schools, colleges, madrassahs, and technical educational institutions in Dhaka, Chuadanga, Jashore, Khulna, and Rajshahi districts only for Monday.

Just after a day, on Monday, the ministry instructed these educational institutions in all 10 districts under Khulna division, all eight districts under Rajshahi division, Dhaka, Tangail, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Gazipur and Manikganj districts under Dhaka Division, Kurigram and Dinajpur districts under Rangpur division and Patuakhali district under Barishal division to remain closed only for Tuesday ignoring the High Court order.

The High Court on Monday gave the order after Supreme Court lawyer Monir Uddin drew the court’s attention to the reported deaths of 18 people since the beginning of the heatwave in April this year.

The closure order would exclude the O level and A level educational institutions having air conditioning facilities, along with colleges and universities, said deputy attorney general SK Shaifuzzaman.

The bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat issued the directive on suo motu.

On Monday in the capital, at Khodeza Khatun Government Primary School in Banglamotor area few students were seen attending classes.

Teachers at the school said that only 50 per cent of the students attended classes on Monday.

At Shaheed Buddhijibi Dr Amin Uddin Government Primary School in Kataban area, student presence in classes was also low.

One of the guardians, waiting outside the school, said that the government should keep the primary schools close too, as children could become sick.

School headteacher Rina Parvin said that students’ presence on the day was around 40 per cent.

A similar situation was seen at Nilkhet Government Primary School.

Shahin Mirza, one of the guardians waiting there, said that the government should have opened all classes from May 2.

‘If my child becomes sick for coming outside the home, who will take the responsibility?’ she asked.

Nilkhet High School and University Laboratory School and College, both having primary sections, were found closed.

Nilkhet High School headmaster Md Suman Ali said that they did not get the government order of closure, but as no students came no classes were held.

At Udayan Higher Secondary School, all classes from primary to secondary levels were going on.

The school’s secondary branch coordinator, Md Abul Hossain, said that they were holding classes as the students came.

Some guardians waiting outside there said that they were confused about the directives of two ministries and demanded some combined directives.

 Patuakhali reported that students of the Pangangashia Secondary Girls’ School at Dumki Upazila are terribly suffering as the dilapidated classrooms lack electric fans.

A very severe heatwave is sweeping through the districts of Jashore, Chuadanga, Pabna, and Rajshahi. A severe heat wave has gripped Dhaka division and the rest of Khulna and Rajshahi divisions.

On Monday, the country’s highest temperature was recorded at 43C in Chuadanga.