These certificates are a mandatory requirement for a candidate to contest in the polls on March 9. Bangladeshi parents have expressed their discontent over the delay.

Nineteen parents have so far registered their candidature for the governing body of the school where some 2,000 Bangladeshi students are currently studying. Polls would elect seven of them to the prestigious committee.

The election was due to be held in 2010, but the Saudi Education Ministry scrapped it, since the registered candidates weren’t issued with the necessary documents.

Following a move by a group of parents to unseat the then chief election commissioner, Delowar Hossen was made the new CEC. In a quick turn of events, however, the ministry replaced Hossen with Belayet Hossen, as per the consulate's request.

The ministry took the move on condition that all candidates willing to contest the polls should be provided with certificates. The election was then rescheduled for March 9, and 19 candidates were given the go-ahead to contest.

With only weeks to go before the polls, guardians of schoolchildren now anticipate a development similar to that of 2010, since the consulate has again not issued certificates to those who are bearing Islamic identity or ideology.

They also fear that Bangladesh’s image would be tarnished if the election would once again be postponed.