HC orders to reopen Lakehead school

The High Court today ordered reopening of Lakehead Grammar School, the institution that was shut down on charges of militancy and extremism affiliations.

Read More: School shut for 'militant links'

Lakehead’s Dhanmondi and Gulshan branches in Dhaka have been ordered to be reopened in 24 hours in response to petitions filed from the school and some guardians.

The High Court also directed the school authorities to assist investigators in probe if allegation of militancy and extremism is raised against the institution in the future.

The High Court bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan came up with the order.

Khaled Hassan Matin, a proprietor of the school and guardians of 12 students, filed three petitions challenging the legality of the decision to shut down the branches of the school.

The district administration of Dhaka on November 7 sealed both the Dhanmondi and Gulshan branches of Lakehead Grammar School, shutting all its activities on allegations of patronising militancy, inspiring extremist views and helping form militant outfits.

The school was co-founded in 2000 by Rizwan Haroon, who has been dubbed as a top militant in some media reports, and Jenifer Ahmed, wife of alleged Hizb ut-Tahrir coordinator and Dhaka University teacher Syed Golam Mowla.

Though “listed as a militant suspect by the home ministry”, Rizwan sneaked into the country from the UK dodging immigration police at the airport in Dhaka.