By Sumi Khan

Dhaka, Feb 16 (IANS): The Bangladesh High Court on Thursday ruled that mentioning marital status is not mandatory for getting enrolled in educational institutions.

A bench of Justices Naima Haider and Justice Md Khairul Alam delivered the verdict after hearing a writ petition.

Deputy Attorney General Amit Das Gupta represented the state while Aneek R Haque appeared for the writ petitioner during hearing on the rule.

On November 14, 2017, lawyers Fariha Ferdous and Nahid Sultana Jeni had filed the writ in the form of public interest litigation in the High Court following a news report titled "What will the girl do now?"

As per the report, a girl, the daughter of a day labourer, was raped in 2013 when she was a Secondary School Certificate examinee. The rapist was sentenced to life imprisonment for the crime. The rape had resulted in pregnancy and she gave birth to a baby.

However, the rape survivor was denied admission to a nursing college as she had not identified herself as "estranged" in the application form as "asked" by the college authority.

The HC on December 11, 2017 issued the rule questioning the legality of the educational institutions' action seeking information on marital status of admission seekers.

The court issued a rule asking the government authorities to explain as to why such an action of inquiring about the marital status of admission seekers should not be declared unconstitutional.

The court also asked the authorities to enroll the female student to Rajshahi Government Nursing College.