The Appellate Division has suspended the High Court's order that had suspended the notification of Dhaka University's (DU) Department of Bangla, which aimed to allow the identification of female students during examinations.
As a result, female students of DU's Bangla department are required to keep their faces uncovered to the maximum extent possible during examinations. Additionally, the court has instructed the High Court to resolve the writ related to this matter within the next two months.
The Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Md Nuruzzaman passed the order on Monday after hearing the appeal against the order of the High Court.
According to lawyer Faizullah Foez, the Appellate Division suspended the High Court's order by halting the implementation of the notification from DU's Bangla department. Simultaneously, the court directed the settlement of the rule issued by the High Court within the next two months.
The court emphasized the importance of female students keeping their faces adequately visible during examinations in the Bengali department.
On March 28, the High Court suspended the effectiveness of the notice, which required female students to expose their ears and mouth during examinations and presentations in the Bangla department of Dhaka University, for a period of six months.
Alongside this decision, the court issued a ruling requesting an explanation as to why the notice mandating the exposure of female students' ears and mouth should not be deemed illegal.
These orders were given by the High Court bench, comprising of Justice KM Kamrul Quader and Justice Mohammad Ali, subsequent to the preliminary hearing of the writ pertaining to this issue.
On February 20, a writ petition was filed at the High Court challenging the legality of a notice issued earlier to keep all female students' ears and faces visible.
The education secretary, the VC of Dhaka University, the registrar, and the chairperson of the Bangla Department of Dhaka University were made respondents in the writ.
Earlier on December 11, 2022, the Bangla department of Dhaka University issued a notice, signed by its chairperson, instructing female students to keep their faces and ears visible during all examinations, including viva and presentations.
The notice also warned that if anyone violates the instruction, action would be taken against them as per the university rules.