The DIRB recently received the following information from the High Commission for the People's Republic of Bangladesh in Ottawa in response to its December 1993 inquiry regarding the above subject.

The school year for both Bengali and English speaking educational institutions begins and finishes at the same time. The school year for primary and secondary schools begins in January and finishes in December whereas the school year for post-secondary institutions should "normally" begin in July and finish in June. However, it might vary according to the policy of each institution.

The major school holidays are "Ramadan & Eid-ul-fits, Eid-ul-Azha, Durga Puja, Christmas Day [and] winter or summer holidays. ... The [exact] dates of holidays mainly depend on the sighting of the Moon and the situation prevailing in the institution concerned. [However,] the summer holidays generally fall in the months of May and June."

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

High Commission for the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Ottawa. 22 September 1994. Letter addressed to the DIRB.