From now on, students can also mention the names of their mothers or legal guardians while filling out a student information form for examinations if their fathers' names are not available.

The High Court yesterday declared this in a landmark verdict on a 14-year-old writ petition, removing a gender discriminatory practice that has been a hurdle for many in pursuing education.

Using the father's name in the form was mandatory when the writ petition was filed in 2009. Now students need to name both the father and mother in the SIF form, said Prof Tapan Kumar Sarkar, chairman of Dhaka education board.

Delivering the judgement, the HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Md Khairul Alam declared illegal and unconstitutional the refusal to provide admit cards to SSC and HSC candidates who have not used their fathers' names in the student information form (SIF).

The court said students may have difficulties in mentioning father's name in the form, and if they are not allowed to fill in the form for omitting father's name, they will be deprived of education which is contrary to their fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution.

Details of the HC verdict will be known after the release of the full text of the judgment.

Deputy Attorney General Amit Das Gupta represented the state during the hearing on the petition yesterday.

Rights organisations Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, and Naripokkho filed the writ petition as public interest litigation to the HC in 2009 challenging the refusals by different education boards to issue registration cards to the SSC and HSC candidates, who could not fill out the SIFs with the names of their fathers and mothers.

In the petition, they said candidates born in brothels could not name their fathers and they would be deprived of education if they were not allowed to fill in the forms.

Following the petition, another HC bench on August 3, 2009, issued a rule upon the government to explain why the refusal to give admit cards to such SSC and HSC candidates should not be declared illegal.

In the rule, the HC also asked the government authorities concerned to show cause as to why they should not be directed to amend the student information form to include identification information regarding the name of the father, or mother, or guardian of the candidates.

In her reaction, Barrister Sara Hossain said, "We are delighted that the High Court has delivered this significant judgment to remove a gender discriminatory practice and to take forward recognition of the right of every person to an identity and to education.

"It is an overdue step to take forward the promise of gender equality enshrined in our constitution, especially to make sure that Digital Bangladesh is gender inclusive."

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad General Secretary Maleka Banu said the landmark verdict would pave the way for establishing the rights to education of all children, and end discrimination regarding guardianship, according to a statement of BLAST.

In the same statement, lawyer Aynunnahar Siddiqua Lipi said the constitutional rights of education of the children, who don't have their parents' identities, will be protected through this verdict.

She also demanded immediate implementation of the judgment.

Supreme Court lawyer Nahid Mahtab, also a former deputy attorney general, said the significance of this judgment is that a single mother can be a guardian and a parent and the father's name shall not be the only measure of identity when his presence is never there.

"This will support single mothers to raise their children independently in a patriarchal society like ours," said Nahid.

Tasmiah Nuhiya Ahmed, another SC lawyer, said, "It is expected that through this verdict we shall be able to break the glass ceiling, and mothers' right to guardianship of their children shall soon become a reality."

Ishrat Hasan, another SC lawyer, said the HC verdict is a landmark decision in upholding the dignity of human beings, and it will bring a positive change in the society.

Dhaka education board Chairman Prof Tapan said they would implement the HC verdict.