SC upholds DU Bangla deptt's decision to keep female students' faces uncovered

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has upheld the effectiveness of the notification issued by the Dhaka University Bangla department asking its female students to keep their faces, including their ears, uncovered during classes, examinations and presentations.
The apex court on Monday vacated a High Court order that stayed for six months the decision of the DU Bangla department. A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Justice Md Nuruzzaman passed the order after hearing a leave to appeal petition filed by the Dhaka University authorities.
The Appellate Division also asked the High Court bench concerned to dispose of the rule issued regarding the matter within two months.
Bangla department on December 11 last year issued a notice asking the students to keep their faces, including their ears, uncovered during all classes, examinations and presentations.
On February 19 this year, three female students at Dhaka University filed a writ petition challenging the legality of the university's Bangla department decision. The female students who wear hijabs have been affected by the notice, read the petition.
Following the writ petition, the High Court on March 28 this year stayed for six months the decision of Dhaka University's Bangla department. It also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain in four weeks as to why the department's decision should not be declared illegal.
The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Ali passed the order after hearing the writ petition filed
by three students of the department challenging the legality of the
decision.
Following a petition filed by the DU authorities, the Chamber Court of the Appellate Division on May 7 upheld the High Court order. At the same time, the Chamber Judge sent the matter to the regular bench of the apex court for detail hearing on it. Accordingly the matter came into the cause-list of the apex court on Monday for hearing.
Supreme Court lawyers Belayet Hossain and Md Faizullah Faiz appeared on behalf of the writ petitioners, while Attorney General AM Amin Uddin represented the state during the hearing in the Appellate Division.

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