United News of Bangladesh

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj on Thursday visited Glenrich International School's Satarkul campus, where he observed the school's progressive, inquiry-based learning environment and praised its academic approach. During the visit, State Minister Bobby Hajjaj highly appreciated Glenrich International School for the school’s focus on quality education and the students’ holistic development for future readiness. He interacted with the institution’s leadership team, teachers and students. Guided by Manas Singh, the Chief Executive Officer of STS Group, the Minister toured the school’s campus and visited its learning spaces, facilities and academic environment. The walkthrough included the pre-primary classroom, play zone, Montessori lab, central courtyard, school library and secondary classrooms. It also included some of the advanced academic hubs, including the Science labs, Art lab, Math lab, Robotics lab and ICT lab, said a media release. The Minister also toured the creative and athletic zones, including the music rooms (Guitar, Violin, Piano, Vocal), dance room, indoor gym, swimming pool, skating rink and outdoor sports areas designated for football, basketball and cricket practice. Commenting on the occasion, Manas Singh, CEO, STS Group, said, “We are deeply honoured to host the State Minister at our Satarkul campus. His appreciation reinforces our commitment to delivering a global standard of education and providing state-of-the-art infrastructure that nurtures the diverse talents of our students.”

The University of Dhaka has formed a new investigation committee to further examine a plagiarism allegation against Dr Md Ridhwanul Haq, a professor at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), after an initial review found a preliminary basis for the complaint. The allegation concerns a research paper submitted by Dr Ridhwanul Haq during his application for the position of professor. However, the accused professor has denied the allegation, claiming that the matter had already been resolved by the university’s Board of Governors (BG) and that the renewed complaint was filed out of personal hostility. Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor A B M Obaidul Islam formed the five-member committee on Tuesday and instructed it to submit its report within 30 working days. The committee is headed by the dean of the Faculty of Law. Other members include the dean of the Faculty of Science, the university proctor, the principal of Dhaka Medical College, and a representative nominated by Dr Ridhwanul Haq. The allegation dates back to 2018, when the university’s Board of Governors discussed the appointment process for three vacant professor positions at IBA. During the 113th BG meeting held on August 9, 2018, allegations of plagiarism were raised against a research paper titled “Retesting SERVQUAL Scale Items in Healthcare Service in Bangladesh: A Case Study in a Private Hospital”, which was submitted by two candidates, including Dr Ridhwanul Haque and another applicant, Mustaq Ahmed. Following the discussion, the BG formed an investigation committee led by the then Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), with the then Dean of the Faculty of Business Studies and a professor from the Department of Finance as members. The committee later reported that the research paper submitted in Australia had been considered for publication after revision but was neither finally accepted nor published. It also noted that the relevant journal did not mention a volume number or publication date. Based on these findings, the committee concluded that the allegation of plagiarism was not established. The decision was later approved unanimously by the Board of Governors under the chairmanship of the then vice-chancellor. However, allegations have emerged that the matter was later suppressed and has now resurfaced through a fresh complaint. Speaking about the latest investigation, Dr Ridhwanul Haq said the issue had already been settled through the BG’s decision. He alleged that during the tenure of the interim government, on July 30 last year, some teachers submitted the complaint again with the intention of harassing him. He also claimed that the original research paper had three authors, but the renewed complaint mentioned only his name, which he described as an act of personal resentment and hostility. “According to the BG’s decision, I was completely cleared of the allegation. Eight years have passed since I became a professor. Some vested groups have conspired to damage my reputation by bringing this allegation,” he said.

Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Wednesday told Parliament that the recruitment and promotion of thousands of teachers, as well as appointments to key administrative positions in educational institutions across the country, have remained stalled for a prolonged period due to various legal complications. Making a statement under Rule 300 of the Rules of Procedure in the Jatiya Sangsad, the minister said thousands of cases related to the education sector are pending in courts, creating significant obstacles to recruitment and administrative processes. The statement came after ruling party lawmaker Zainul Abdin Farroque raised concerns on a point of order regarding the acute shortage of teachers and the legal complexities surrounding recruitment. Milon, who also oversee the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, said the recruitment process for 32,500 teachers, along with separate initiatives to appoint 2,600 and 17,000 teachers, has remained suspended because of pending cases. “Since assuming office, I have been working to resolve these legal complications. From the very first week after taking charge, I personally visited the court premises and made efforts to address these issues,” he said. However, the minister noted that the cases have yet to be listed before the Appellate Division, making it impossible to proceed with recruitment despite an acute teacher shortage nationwide. He said appointments of heads of institutions through the Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA), as well as the recruitment of college principals and heads of educational institutions, have also been halted because of ongoing litigation. Milon added that the recruitment of office assistants-cum-night guards at primary schools has similarly been suspended. He told Parliament that thousands of education-related cases are currently under judicial consideration, seriouslyhampering administrative activities in both the education and primary education sectors. The minister further said nearly 33,000 headteacher posts have already fallen vacant across the country. Yet many qualified teachers are retiring before receiving promotions due to legal disputes and complications related to promotion processes. “There are many teachers across Bangladesh who have attained the qualifications required to become headteachers, yet they are not receiving promotions. The legal complexities are preventing these issues from being resolved,” he said. Regarding administrative transfers in primary schools, Milon said authority for such transfers has been decentralised to the upazila, district and divisional levels. Reiterating the government's commitment to resolving the situation, he said achieving the desired progress in recruitment and promotion activities will remain difficult until the pending court cases are disposed of. “The government is making its highest efforts to address the situation. However, meaningful progress in recruitment and promotion will be difficult until these cases are settled.”  

Education Minister Dr A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Sunday informed Parliament that five projects are currently being implemented under the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education to expand and improve primary education across the country. He also said that 13 additional projects, including the Fifth Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP-5), have been included in the government’s development pipeline. The minister disclosed this while responding to a starred question from opposition lawmaker Md Mahbubur Rahman (Belal) of Rangpur-3 in the Jatiya Sangsad. Dr Milon said the ongoing projects include the Fourth Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP-4), which is being implemented from July 2018 to June 2026, and the Demand-Based Government Primary School Development Project (Phase-1), underway from July 2016 and scheduled to continue until June 2026. He said another major initiative, the Government Primary School Establishment, Infrastructure Development and Beautification Project in the Dhaka Metropolitan Area and Purbachal, is being implemented from January 2020 to June 2027. The minister further said that the Pre-Primary and Primary Education Improvement Project in Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban and Bhasan Char of Noakhali is being carried out from July 2024 to June 2027 to enhance educational opportunities in those areas. In addition, the School Feeding Programme in Government Primary Schools in 150 upazilas is being implemented from January 2025 to December 2027 with the aim of improving students’ nutrition and learning outcomes. Dr Milon said the government is also continuing several mass education initiatives, including the Effective Literacy and Practical Skills Training (Pre-Vocational Level) Course and the Alternative Learning Opportunity for Out-of-School Children (ALO) programme. According to the minister, these programmes are making significant contributions to improving the quality of primary education, strengthening educational infrastructure and bringing dropout and out-of-school children back into the education system. He expressed hope that the ongoing and planned projects would further support the government’s efforts to ensure inclusive, equitable and quality education for all children across the country.        

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj on Sunday said the proposed national budget for FY2026-27 is designed to build future Bangladesh, with one of the highest-ever allocations earmarked for the education sector to strengthen human resources and ensure sustainable national development. Taking part in the general discussion on the Supplementary Budget for FY2025-26 in Parliament, he said the government considers education the most effective and impactful sector for investment. “That is why the highest priority has been given to the education sector in the national budget,” he said. The state minister said public expenditure on education remained between 1.3 and 1.4 percent of the country’s GDP in previous years. The current budget, however, has increased the allocation to 2 percent of GDP, with a long-term target of raising it to 5 percent. Describing primary education as the foundation of a nation, Bobby Hajjaj said shortcomings at the primary level inevitably affect higher education and employment prospects in later stages of life. He said the government is focusing on curriculum development, teacher training, quality improvement and administrative reforms to strengthen primary education across the country. Referring to the Prime Minister’s directives, he said a comprehensive reform programme has already been launched to make primary education more modern, practical and internationally competitive. The state minister said the government’s vision goes beyond conventional textbook-based learning and aims to nurture creativity, critical thinking and personality development among students. As part of that effort, greater emphasis is being placed on sports, cultural activities and the arts in primary schools, he said. Bobby Hajjaj said initiatives have already been taken to expand sporting opportunities for students in grades four and five. Alongside football and cricket, basketball is also being introduced in schools, he added. He said cultural education, including performing arts, expressive arts and fine arts, is also being integrated into primary education to support the holistic development of children. “There is no alternative to sports and cultural education in building a modern, humane and creative generation,” he said, urging constructive discussions instead of negative criticism regarding such initiatives. The state minister further said the proposed budget places importance on enhancing people’s capabilities, expanding the economy’s supply-side capacity, promoting the creative economy and modernising industries and factories. “The government believes that investment in people is the greatest investment a nation can make. An educated, skilled and creative population is the principal driving force behind sustainable national development,” he added. Expressing optimism about the future, the state minister said continued investments in education, sports and culture would help transform Bangladesh into a knowledge-based, skilled and modern nation over the next two decades. “Criticism is natural in a democracy, but everyone must work together to achieve the larger national goal of development and prosperity,” he said.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj on Sunday said the government has introduced a new decentralised system for teacher transfers to make the process transparent, accountable and free from corruption. The teacher transfer process had long been known as a major area of syndicate control and corruption, which stood as a significant obstacle to improving the quality of education, he said while addressing the Validation Workshop on the Bangladesh Education Sector Analysis (ESA) 2026, organised by GPE and UNICEF at a hotel in the capital. Bobby Hajjaj said that under the directive of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the initiative of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the teacher transfer process has been decentralised and brought to the local level. Under the new policy, separate committees are being formed at the upazila, district, divisional and city corporation levels to review transfer applications at regular intervals, he said. At the upazila level, a four-member committee headed by the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) will scrutinise applications, while the Upazila Primary Education Officer will issue transfer orders based on the committee’s recommendations, he added. Besides, similar five- or six-member committees will operate at the district, divisional and city corporation levels to examine transfer applications and issue transfer orders, he said. Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon attended the programme as the chief guest. Officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, relevant departments and UNICEF were also present at the event.

Students seeking higher education abroad will be eligible for easy loans of up to Tk 10 lakh under a new government programme, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said while placing the proposed national budget for FY2026-27 on Thursday. Unveiling the proposed budget in Parliament, the finance minister said plans are underway to introduce a mandatory third language, such as Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Arabic, French or German, into the curriculum alongside Bangla and English. “To support third-language learning and facilitate higher education abroad, the government has already introduced a loan facility of Tk 10 lakh for students wishing to pursue higher studies overseas,” he said. The initiative aims to expand opportunities for higher education abroad and help talented students overcome financial barriers. The government plans to keep interest rates comparatively low and allow repayment after graduates enter the job market, he said. The finance minister also said the government would ensure access to the scheme without administrative hassles. The proposed budget allocates Tk 136,606 crore for education and human resource development, a significant increase from the current allocation of Tk 87,206 crore, which accounted for 1.39 percent of GDP. According to the finance minister, the government plans to raise spending on education to 5 percent of GDP by 2030, viewing the investment as a strategic step toward building a skilled workforce and a knowledge-based economy. Amir Khosru said the government considers overseas education not as "brain drain" but as "brain circulation" that can contribute to remittance growth and the development of skilled human resources in the future.

A new curriculum will be introduced in primary and secondary schools from 2028, while four new textbooks will be added to Classes IV and VI from the 2027 academic year. Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Education, and Primary and Mass Education Mahdi Amin disclosed the plans at a press conference organised at the Secretariat on the government’s three-month activities. Milon stresses improved technical education system Under the initiative, two new subjects – Sports and Culture – will be introduced in Class IV, while Technical and Vocational Education, and Learning with Happiness will be added to the curriculum for Class VI students next year. Responding to a question on whether the government is formulating a completely new curriculum or revising the existing one, Mahdi Amin said both curriculum reforms and the introduction of new subjects are being considered. He said the education sector had suffered significant setbacks over the past 16 years and it will take time to rebuild it. “There are areas within the current curriculum that require additions, omissions and revisions. At the same time, we are introducing new subjects in line with our vision of reshaping the education system,” the adviser said. He said Sports and Culture will be introduced as separate compulsory subjects from Class IV, while Technical and Vocational Education, and Learning with Happiness will be mandatory from Class VI. Mahdi Amin said the Learning with Happiness course will focus on values, principles and character-building to help develop responsible citizens. The programme will also include teachers’ guides and training modules to support classroom instruction. He added that greater emphasis will be placed on learning a third language through an expanded component within the existing curriculum framework. “Four new subjects are being introduced and a major new chapter on third-language learning will be added. Alongside these, necessary revisions and improvements to the existing curriculum will continue through consultation with education experts and professionals,” the adviser said. Asked whether the changes will take effect next year, Minister Milon said a complete curriculum overhaul could not be accomplished within three months. “We are introducing the new subjects in Classes IV and VI from 2027 after making the necessary revisions and ensuring the process is realistic and implementable,” he said. “The broader curriculum reform that many expect is already underway and will be visible from 2028. However, the current revision process is progressing well and four new textbooks are being introduced,” the minister added. Replying to a question regarding a recent report by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) alleging that vice-chancellors were appointed to universities on political considerations, he declined to comment. “If you want to know about the TIB report, ask TIB. I am not willing to respond to that,” he said. “TIB will do its work and I will do mine. This is a newly elected government and it knows how to manage the university education system. That is entirely our matter. It is too early for such reports when we have only just begun our journey,” Milon added.

The results of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations will be published on July 20, Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon said on Monday. He made the announcement at a press conference held at the Secretariat on the government's three-month programme. A total of 1,857,344 candidates appeared at the SSC and equivalent examinations that began on April 21. Of the total examinees, 930,305 are males and 927,039 females – from 30,666 institutions. Under the nine general education boards, a total of 1,418,318 candidates took part in the SSC examination. Under the Madrasah Education Board, 303,286 students sat for the Dakhil examination. Meanwhile, under the Technical Education Board, 134,660 students took part in SSC (Vocational) examinations.

The government has appointed two professors of Jahangirnagar University as Pro-Vice Chancellors (Academic) and (Administration) of the university. According to separate gazette notifications issued by the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education on Saturday, Prof Dr Md Shamsul Alam of the Department of Government and Politics has been appointed Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic), while Prof Dr Muhammad Nazrul Islam of Mathematics Department has been appointed Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration). The appointments were made under Section 13(1) of the Jahangirnagar University Order, 1973, with the approval of the President of Bangladesh, who also serves as the university’s Chancellor. The gazette notification said they will hold office for four years from the date of joining or until reaching the age of retirement, whichever occurs earlier. They will receive salaries, allowances and other benefits in accordance with existing rules and regulations and perform duties assigned under the university's laws, statutes and ordinances, as well as responsibilities delegated by the Vice-Chancellor. The notifications also require both Pro-Vice Chancellors to remain present on the university campus on a full-time basis during their tenure. The President and Chancellor retain the authority to revoke the appointment at any time if necessary.