The High Court today ordered the government to close primary and secondary schools, and madrasas till Thursday amid the ongoing heatwave.

However, the order of closure will not be applicable for O level, A level exams, colleges, universities and those schools that have air conditioning (AC) systems and where exams are ongoing, the HC said.

The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Quader and Justice Khizir Hayat Lizu gave this order to the Ministry of Education on a suo motu (voluntary) move, Deputy Attorney General Sk Shaifuzzaman told The Daily Star.

The reopening of educational institutions amid the heatwave was marred by two teachers' deaths and multiple students falling ill across the country yesterday.

Two teachers -- Mostak Ahmed, 58, from Chattogram's Boalkhali upazila, and Ahsan Habib, 37, from Jashore Sadar -- died due to heat-related illness.

Numerous students, including 18 in Noakhali, 10 in Faridpur, two in Munshiganj and one in Dhaka, fell ill during school hours, and others lost consciousness.