Dhaka, Feb. 18 -- After some initial back-and-forth, the education authorities have said all government and private primary, secondary, and lower-secondary schools will stay shut for the entire month of Ramadan.

The holiday will begin from Thursday.

On Thursday, the new government -- on its first day in office -- reversed the previous decision and resolved to keep schools closed from the very first day of Ramadan.

The education ministry and the Directorate of Primary Education reached this decision independently on the same day.

It had already been decided that colleges and madrasas would remain closed during Ramadan.

On Wednesday evening, the Secondary and Higher Education Division released a revised holiday list and academic calend...