Politics is for welfare, not damage of education, PM Hasina says

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked politicians to refrain from doing anything that can damage education.

“We do politics for people’s welfare. But it is unfortunate when this politics brings evil to people’s lives,” she said on Sunday.  
 
“It is a matter of policy that a political party pursues,” she opined.   
 
Hasina also reminded officials for steps to ensure education for all children.
 
“Leave no children without education. Ensure every child’s admission,” she said.
 

She was speaking in a programme to give scholarship to Honours-level students at her office.

The prime minister said, “Our (politicians) goal is to develop standard of living, ensure progress and beautiful lives.

“But to deprive people of education is not acceptable to anyone.”

Hasina also said people’s mindset has changed towards removing gender inequality in education.

She emphasised use of information and communication technology in education.

“We’ve established a Digital Bangladesh. We are making multimedia classrooms in every school. All schools will have such classrooms gradually.” She said.

The prime minister criticised BNP for continuing blockade and shutdowns during Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations.

“Blockade and shutdowns were called exactly during the SSC tests. Schedules had to be changed repeatedly. Students suffered,” she said.

She said a fourth grader student was hurt in a bomb attack when she was on way to school and Bogra’s Sadia Akter was also hurt in a similar incident.

“An SSC examinee lost her eye. They destroyed a child’s dream,” she said.

According to the prime minister, 582 schools were set on fire during protests by the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance against the last general elections.

The prime minister said children of Bangladesh can also prove their merit abroad.

“We’ll develop this country. We can build a planned country with the limited resources. We’ve proven that,” she said.

Hasina slated those who criticised Bangladesh’s getting Test status.

“Today the Tigers of Bangladesh have shown that they also can do something.”

Referring to the ODI series victory against Pakistan, she said, “I won’t call it whitewash but Banglawash.”

“Nothing is impossible, if you have faith,” she said.

Prime Minister’s Education Assistance Trust Fund was launched in 2010 for poor students with Tk 10 billion.

In 2012-13 financial year, 129,810 Honours level students were given a total of Tk 729.5 million.

The number of students who got the scholarship in 2013-14 fiscal was 174,446. Only 15,957 of them were male students and the rest were female.

Education Secretary Nazrul Islam Khan was present in the programme chaired by Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid.