Police blocked a musical procession by Udichi Shilpigoshthi, the cultural collective, on Sunday, organized to demand reconsideration of the government’s decision to cancel recruitment of music and physical education teachers in public primary schools.
The march, which began in front of the National Press Club, was stopped by police near the Shilpakala Academy in Segunbagicha.
Udichi artists said they intended to proceed to the Chief Adviser’s residence at Jamuna Gate to present their songs. After some discussion, police initially allowed the march to continue, but stopped it again two minutes later after it crossed the Dhaka Range DIG office, preventing further progress. During this time, the artists performed songs while sitting on the road.
DU teachers, students protest abolition of music, physical-training teachers’ posts
The amended rules, published on November 2, removed the opportunity for recruitment of music and physical education teachers.
According to the Secretary-level Committee, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has stepped back from the plan. The committee noted that recruiting such a small number of teachers would be ineffective at the primary level and could create inequality, given that there are 65,569 primary schools nationwide. Cluster-based deployment would require a single teacher to serve 20 or more schools, making workload management impossible.
Earlier, in late August, the government issued the Government Primary School Teacher Recruitment Rules, which included positions for music and physical education teachers. Just two months later, the rules were amended.
Udichi hosts nationwide event against 'conspiracy centring national anthem'
The revised rules sparked widespread criticism. The Human Rights Forum Bangladesh (HRFB) stated that the decision is not only unreasonable but reflects succumbing to pressure from a small group, removing two important subjects from primary education. The National Rabindra Sangeet Sammilon Parishad also protested.
In a statement Parishad said, "When a small section of society opposes this using a narrow-minded, distorted interpretation of religion, the government abolished assistant teacher posts for music and physical education through a new notification.”
On Saturday afternoon, the cultural organization Chhayanaut also requested reconsideration of the cancellation by performing songs collectively.
Teachers and students of Dhaka University’s Music Department held a protest on campus on Wednesday demanding reinstatement of the posts. The rally took place in front of Aparajeyo Bangla, with participants singing the national anthem and raising placards. Dr. Priyanka Gope, Chairperson of the Music Department, read out a memorandum. Teachers from various departments—including Dance Department’s Laboni Banya and Clinical Psychology Department’s Kamal Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury—along with students, spoke at the event.
Leaders from Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU), including the Literary and Cultural Affairs Secretary and cultural secretaries from different halls, expressed solidarity.
Students from Chittagong University protested the decision, stating that it poses a major threat to future artistic practice and cultural development in Bangladesh. Students from Jagannath University protested through music.
Two steps backwards
Globally, music education is emphasized even in countries with large Muslim populations. Saudi Arabia, the spiritual center of Islam, recently hired over 9,000 teachers to introduce music education in public schools as part of Vision 2030 reforms, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, promoting arts, entertainment, and education. The kingdom is now qualifying thousands of kindergarten teachers in music skills. In late 2022, over 12,000 female teachers in government and private kindergartens were trained, and the new phase will train about 17,000 female teachers.
Other Muslim-majority countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, and Egypt, also retain music in their national curriculum.
In Malaysia, formal music education became compulsory in all elementary schools in 1983, with primary-level music as an intra-curricular subject since 1982.
In Indonesia, home to over 240 million Muslims, music has been compulsory in primary schools since the 1970s and remains under the 2022 curriculum.
In Turkey, primary school students receive one hour of music lessons from 1st to 8th grade, with additional two-hour elective lessons from 5th to 8th grade.
In Egypt, music has been part of government school curricula, including Arab and Western music, since 1931.
In the United Kingdom, comprising England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, music is compulsory with variations in age and enforcement.
In Europe, a meNet study covering 20 countries showed music is compulsory at the primary level; secondary education often offers it optionally. Germany, Japan, Australia, and South Africa also mandate music and dance in primary schools.
In the United States, according to the NCES (January 2025), 73% of public schools require students to take at least one arts course, most commonly music (84%) and visual arts (82%).
In China, music is a compulsory subject during the nine years of mandatory education and part of the quality-oriented education push, with increased curriculum emphasis in recent standards.
But In Bangladesh, despite global trends highlighting the importance of music education, several religious organizations and political parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Andolon Bangladesh, oppose music teacher recruitment. They demand religious instructors instead and have threatened street protests if the decision is not reversed, in a seminar held in September at the auditorium of the Institution of Diploma Engineers.
MIT study suggests music education
A new wave of research from the world-renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) scientists suggest that music lessons may do far more to boost brain development and overall intelligence.
The study reveals that learning music-whether through playing an instrument, singing, or reading musical notes, activates and strengthens areas of the brain responsible for memory, attention, problem-solving, and language skills. These neural networks overlap with those used in math and reasoning, giving children a deep cognitive workout that coding lessons can't yet match. Music education engages both hemispheres of the brain simultaneously, forging connections that sharpen focus and enhance long-term learning abilities.
Music combines creativity, pattern recognition, and emotional expression, creating a richer and more versatile mental environment. Children who play instruments or participate in music programs often show stronger academic performance, improved verbal abilities, and better emotional regulation.
Researchers also emphasize the social and emotional benefits of music. Playing in an ensemble or practicing with others fosters teamwork, patience, and communication-skills critical for success in any field, including technology. By developing these qualities early, children gain confidence and adaptability that can help them thrive in a rapidly changing world.