As the schools in Bangladesh reopened after long Covid-induced shutdown last month, many girls in this coastal district were missing from classrooms with a majority of them lost to early marriages. For the mostly poor families, hit hard by the pandemic, the 18-month shutdown has proved too long and unbearable to take care of their young girls. In Bagerhat, around 3,178 girls, mostly school goers, were married off between March 2020 till September 20221, according to district Education Officer Md Kamruzzaman.Nilanjana (not her real name) was in class eight in March 2020 when the surging pandemic closed her Basabati Rahmania Secondary school in Bagerhat, along with education shutdown across the country. Also read: Child marriage was an epidemic within the pandemic in Bangladesh

As students across the country are back to classrooms after one of the world's longest Covid closure, many of them missed their peers with officials concerned in Kurigram fearing that at least 50,000 kids may have dropped out due to early marriage and poverty in the district. Teachers and concerned officials gave this observation to UNB as school reopened on Sunday after nearly 18 months amid a festive atmosphere and calls for maintaining Covid health guidelines. District Secondary Education Officer Shamsul Alam said, “We inspected 5 schools in Kurigram Sadar on Sunday. Around 13 % of students have dropped out from these institutions during school closure. As many as 63 girls were victims of child marriage.” Read: Reopening: Flooding robs of Kurigram students’ enthusiasm According to “our assumptions, the total number of school dropouts in the district would be around 50,000,” he said adding “We have directed the concerned individuals to present an exact figure as soon as possible.” After a reality check at the schools in different upazilas of the district including Ulipur and Kurigram, the UNB correspondent reported that the number of absentees was 20-25 % on average in all the institutions. The correspondent added that most of the students dropped out due to economic reasons and a significant amount due to early marriage. Read No tiffin, masks at a premium, & may close again: Students return to school tomorrow

Just a day before the reopening of educational intuitions after a prolonged Covid-related closure, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Saturday said the schools may be shut again if Coronavirus cases go up. Dipu Moni came up with the remark while talking to local journalists at Jamalpur Circuit House. Read: School gear up to reopen from Sunday  The education minister came here to join the triennial conference of district Awami League. “Educational institutions are going to reopen after a long 17-month of closure. All the health protocols will be maintained in the classrooms of all educational institutions. In the  case of a widespread rise in infections, we’ll take necessary measures and those will be closed again, if required,” she said.

BNP on Saturday alleged that the government has kept educational institutions shut for a long time only to prevent a possible movement instead of protecting students from Covid-19. Speaking at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office on the outcome of Friday’s virtual meeting of their party’s standing committee, he called upon the government to resume academic activities in the all educational institutions immediately maintaining health safety rules. Read: PM's remark on Zia's grave 'absurd': BNP He also demanded the government bring the students up to the age of 18 under the Covid vaccine coverage. About Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader’s comment that evil forces are taking preparations to create chaos after the reopening of universities, Fakhrul said, “His (Quader’s) remark has exposed that the educational institutions have been kept closed to avoid a movement, not to protect the health of students.” Referring to a recent report published by Unicef, he said Bangladesh ranks second in the world in terms of the closure of educational institutions at all levels due to Covid -19. “Over four crores of students from pre-primary to higher-education levels have been affected as a result of prolonged closure.” The BNP leader alleged that the government has raised a question about Ziaur Rahman’s grave at Chandrima Udyan to divert people’s attention to a different direction from its failures and misdeeds. Read: BNP says AL has no Liberation War spirit He said Zia was buried at Chandrima Udyan following a janaza joined by lakhs of people. “The then Army Chief Ershad (HM Ershad) himself carried his (Zia’s) body.” Fakhrul said Awami League has been talking about such unnecessary issues as it has got politically 'bankrupt'.  “Why don't they come to the main points? They don't  talk about holding a credible election strengthening the democratic institutions and restoring the rights of people, including the right to vote,” he observed. The BNP leader urged the government to inform people about what it has done to tackle Covid, protect people’s lives and livelihoods and help the day- labourers. He said people are getting poorer, but those who belong to Awami League are getting richer and they are siphoning off money abroad. “Social instability and anti-social activities have been growing as no institutions are working properly in the country. It’s going to be a failed state.” On Thursday, the Prime minister said, “BNP engaged in fights at Chandrima Udyan. Doesn't the BNP know that there's no grave or body of Zia, or Zia is not there? They know it very well! If so, why do they stage the drama? Khaleda Zia is also aware of it.” While addressing a programme virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban, Sheikh Hasina also said whether Khaleda Zia or Tarique Zia could claim that they saw Zia’s body in the box (which was brought from Chattogram) as a bullet-hit body can easily be recognised. “No one saw it as there was no body (of Zia) in the box,” she said.  Reacting to her remarks, Fakhrul said no person who has integrity and good taste can make such comments. “Her remarks are indecent, disgusting, and nothing but lies.” He said the Prime Minister also hurt the religious sentiment of Muslims by raising a question about late Zia’s body and grave. “People didn’t take it easily as Ziaur Rahman is in their hearts.”

The recent spurt in Covid-19 cases has forced the government to extend the closure of primary schools and kindergartens until May 29 to protect the students from virus infection. The decision was taken Sunday, said a handout from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education. But classes will continue online during the closure, it said. Read: Bangladesh extends lockdown until May 23 Students have to abide by health guidelines and regulations issued from time to time by the Prime Minister's Office, Cabinet Division, Ministry of Public Administration and Health Services Department. The government also extended the closure of secondary and higher secondary level educational institutions until May 29. Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh Bangladesh recorded 363 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours until Sunday morning as the number of sample tests declined drastically since the beginning of Eid holidays. Only 5,430 samples were tested during the period. The number was much higher before the Eid-ul-Fitr. Besides, the country recorded 25 deaths, taking the death toll to 12,149, according to a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Read: Bangladesh sees only 363 new Covid cases as sample testing falls amid Eid The mortality rate rose to 1.56 percent from Saturday’s 1.55 percent while the infection rate is 6.69 percent. So far, 7,80,159 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the country. The government has extended the ongoing lockdown until May 23 considering the overall situation.  

UNICEF has urged governments to prioritise the unique needs of every student, with comprehensive services covering remedial learning, health and nutrition, and mental health and protection measures in schools to nurture children and adolescents’ development and wellbeing.

UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore on Tuesday said no effort should be spared to keep schools open or prioritize them in reopening plans as they enter the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and cases continue to soar around the world.

Around a thousand teachers of private educational institutes, including primary schools, kindergartens and madrasas, in Narail are going without pay for the last five months during the coronavirus pandemic, forcing many to change profession.