All state-run and private medical colleges in Bangladesh will reopen from September 13 in a staggered manner, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said on Thursday.

The decision to resume classroom teaching has been taken by the government in view of the improving Covid-19 situation in the country, the Minister told reporters after a meeting at the Secretariat.

“We have decided to resume classes at all medical institutions, including government, private, Delta and nursing colleges, from September 13. It may defer by a day or two but eventually all medical institutions will be opened in a phased way,” he said.

“The authorities concerned have taken all preparations for the resumption of physical classes and the teachers and students have also been covered under the nation-wide vaccination programme,” Zahid said.

There are 1.5 lakh medical students in the country and they have all been asked to attend classes following all Covid-safety protocols, he added. “However, the decision could change considering the Covid situation in the country at the time.”

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government was taking all necessary measures to reopen educational institutions in the country at the earliest.

“We’ve been able to control the coronavirus to a large extent. There’s no more problem regarding vaccines… I’ve already directed (the authorities concerned) to reopen schools and colleges soon,” she said.

The Prime Minister said this when she joined a discussion over a motion placed in Parliament to condole the death of Awami League MP Hasibur Rahman Swapan (Sirajganj-6).

The government on August 26 again extended the closure of secondary and higher secondary-level educational institutions until September 11 considering  the Covid-19 situation in the country.

The government shut the educational institutions on March 17, 2020, days after the country reported its first Covid-19 cases. The closure was extended several times, most recently until August 31.