Dhaka, Jan. 24 -- The High Court has ruled that mothers will also be recognised as legal guardians of children on official documents relating to educational institutions, expanding options for guardianship in a landmark judgement.

Justice Naima Haider and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the judgment on Tuesday after the final hearing in a writ petition filed over a decade ago.

Previously, only fathers were recognised as the legal guardians of students on forms. From now on, two more options -- the names of the mother and the legal guardian -- will be available.

When the writ petition was filed 14 years ago, it was mandatory for students to put down their fathers' names as the legal guardians on forms, followed by the mothers' names, acc...