Govt directed districts to close schools if temperature drops to 10 degrees or lower
Primary and secondary schools in Chattogram’s Sitakunda upazila, which witnessed a low temperature of 9.5 degrees Celsius today, were open despite the government’s directive to close the schools in a district if the mercury drops to 10 degrees Celsius or below.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department in a weather bulletin at 9:00am said the maximum temperature in Sitakunda was 24.0 degrees Celsius and minimum temperature was 9.5 degrees Celsius, the second lowest temperaturerecorded in Chattogram division.
When contacted, Sitakunda Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) KM Rafiqul Islam told The Daily Star that the temperature was low for a short period in the morning, but it increased later.
“If the temperature in the area remained low for a long time, the matter of educational institutions’ closure could be considered,” he said.
District education officials could not be reached despite several attempts by The Daily Star correspondent.
The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) and the primary and mass education ministry in separate circulars yesterday asked district education officials to close the institutions in case of such weather conditions.
