The High Court on Monday asked the government to explain within two weeks why its decision to cancel the posts of music teachers and physical training instructors in government primary schools should not be declared illegal.
A bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Md Ashif Hasan issued the rule after hearing a public interest litigation filed by Supreme Court lawyer Sarwat Siraj Shukla.
The petition challenged the November 2 gazette notification issued by the primary and mass education ministry, which abolished the two posts by amending the Government Primary School Teacher Recruitment Rules 2025.
The interim government had earlier created the posts of assistant music teachers and assistant physical training instructors through a notification on August 28, 2025.
The creation of these posts drew protests from different Islamic organisations and political parties, including the Bangladesh Jamaat- e-Islami and the Islami Andolan Bangladesh.
The organisations urged the government to replace music teachers with teachers for religious instruction.
In response, several socio-cultural and political organisations urged the government last week to withdraw the cancellation order and restore the earlier notification creating the posts.
The court asked the secretaries of the education and the primary and mass education ministries, and the chairman of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission, to respond to the rule within two weeks.
Sarwat Siraj Shukla appeared in person before the court in support of the petition.