Universities may reopen earlier
Dhaka:- The government has taken a plan to reopen primary, secondary and higher secondary educational institutions across the country from September 12. Now reopening time of universities will be brought forward in line with this plan, said sources. According to the pre-plan, the universities were scheduled to reopen after October 15.
However, Education Minister Dipu Moni on Friday said they would hold a meeting again to take decision about the reopening of the universities. “If the vice-chancellors agree to reopen the universities at the same time as other educational institutions, they can open or set a different date.” Regarding this matter, University Council president Mohammad Rafiqul Alam said, “The Education Minister has said she will again sit with the vice-chancellors to discuss about the reopening of universities. We will take action as per the decision to be taken in the presence of the concerned persons including the Chairman of the University Grants Commission.”
An inter-ministerial meeting has been called on Sunday about reopening the educational institutions. Ministry sources said there could be detailed decisions on various issues, including the opening of educational institutions. Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman said they have already set a roadmap for reopening the university. “According to the roadmap, all students have been asked to get vaccinated by September 15. Then in the first week of October the residential hall of the university will be reopened. The exact date of the reopening will be announced after September 15 after seeing the vaccination information,” said the DU VC.
He further said as part of the preparations for the reopening, a meeting of the university’s Poribesh Parishad comprising 13 student organizations has been convened today (Sunday). On Thursday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the parliament that she has directed to reopen schools and colleges as soon as possible. Action is being taken accordingly. A day later, an announcement was made to reopen educational institutions up to the higher secondary level. The government shut the educational institutions on March 17 last year after the country reported its first Covid-19 cases on March 8.
