A writ has been filed in the High Court challenging the validity of the letter regarding the directive to withdraw Mongol Shobhajatra from the educational institutions on Pohela Boishakh.
The writ was filed by the lawyer Azim Uddin Patwari on behalf of the father of an eighth grader student of Monipur High School and College in the concerned branch of the High Court on Thursday.
He said that the writ will be heard in the High Court bench comprising of Justice Sardar Rashed Jahangir and Justice Biswajit Debnath.
Later, the petitioner's lawyer Azim Uddin urged to stay the effectiveness of this letter till the hearing on whether the issuance of this letter should not be declared illegal, the rule and the ruling on it.
This letter is in conflict with the freedom of religion mentioned in Articles 12 and 41 of the Constitution, he added.
The secretary of the Ministry of Education, the secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, the director general and the assistant director of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education have been made defendants in the writ petition.
On March 20, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs held an inter-ministerial meeting with the relevant ministries to celebrate Bengali New Year across the country. In the meeting, it was decided to observe the New Year in educational institutions in light of the central program.
Later, the government ordered the observance of Pohela Boishakh in educational institutions with the inclusion of Mongol Shobhajatra.
According to the instructions of the Ministry of Education, all educational institutions will celebrate the Bengali New Year in a festive atmosphere and in proper style under their own management.
Also Read: Legal notice sent to halt Mongol Shobhajatra on Pohela Boishakh
However, a legal notice was issued on Sunday to halt the Mongol Shobhajatra, a traditional procession held on the occasion of Pohela Boishakh every year.
Supreme Court lawyer Md Mahmudul Hasan sent the notice by registry post.
The notice states that Pohela Boishakh is an essential part of Bengali culture, and for thousands of years, people of various religions have celebrated it by respecting each other's faiths.
In the notice, Hasan expressed concern that Mongol Shobhajatra is an artificial event that has been introduced into the Bengali culture and that it is not a necessary component of the traditional Pohela Boishakh festival.
The notice further stated that the term “Mongol” has religious connotations and showcasing various sculptures of birds, fish and other creatures is offensive to the religious sentiments of the Muslim community.
“This is a direct violation of Article 2 (a) of the Bangladesh Constitution,” the notice warned, adding that insulting Islam is punishable under Section 296 (a) of the Penal Code.
Therefore, the recipients of the notice were urged to take action to stop the "unconstitutional, illegal, and artificially created" Mongol Shobhajatra.
