The government has ordered shutdown of the Life School in the capital’s Uttara for running its operations illegally and indoctrinating young people to extremist jihadi ideology. The education ministry yesterday sent directives to the home ministry to shutdown the school, based on reports of the intelligence agencies.
The ministry letter said, “The Life School at Road 15, Sector 13, Uttara has no approval from the government. Necessary steps should be taken immediately to shutdown the school.”
According to sources, the intelligence agency report on the school said that the Life School began operation in July 2013 and the school authorities, at first, tried to influence the guardians towards militancy. Later, the students were also indoctrinated to that path.
Sources said there are eight founders of the school. Among them, the chief adviser is Shahidullah Khan Madani, the principal of Nazirabazar Madrasa in Dhaka. Dr Md Saifullah, Principal Shahidullah and Manjur Elahi and Principal Ziaur Raham who is the main founder of the school.
At present the school has 110 students and 23 teachers including the principal and vice-principal. The school began teaching in Class VIII from this year. They teach following the curriculum of Cambridge and use various Islamic textbooks without the permission of the government, said sources.
Last month, members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) detained 10 people including the Life School principal Mizanur Rahman, over allegation of spreading jihadist ideology in the name of education, as they were holding a meeting on the school premises. When asked about the ministry letter, Joint Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Secondary Division of the Ministry of Education Salma Jahan told The Independent, “Whenever any school is run without government permission and there are allegations of militancy, it is investigated and directives may be given to shutdown its activities.” Regarding the students and their education, the ministry official said that instructions would be given to other neighbouring educational institutions for their enrolment.