Home
+
Published : 15 Apr 2026, 01:29 PM
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said the government will launch the five-year Fifth Primary Education Development Programme on Jul 1, with plans to bring the remaining primary school teachers under English-language training.
He used Wednesday’s question-and-answer session in parliament to outline the government’s plans for private school management, the blue economy, river erosion and canal excavation.
The House sat at 11am after parliament had been adjourned on Apr 10.
The first item on the day’s agenda was Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs). Within the allotted 30 minutes, Tarique answered four starred questions and supplementary questions. Seven written questions had also been set aside for him.
Primary Education Programme from July
Replying to a question from Humam Quader Chowdhury, the MP for Chattogram-7, the prime minister said the government’s manifesto had attached importance to improving the quality of teaching and the skills of primary school teachers through special training programmes.
He said there are currently 376,489 teachers in primary schools across the country. Of them, 130,000 have already received English-language training under the ongoing Fourth Primary Education Development Programme.
Tarique said the government now plans to move ahead with a new phase of that effort.
“You will be pleased to know that the government is going to launch the five-year Fifth Primary Education Development Programme from the 1st of July, 2026,” he said.
Under the programme, the remaining teachers would also be given English-language training, he added.
In response to another supplementary question from the same lawmaker, the prime minister said the government already has a policy in place for the management of private schools.
Blue Economy in Election Plans
Replying to Nurul Islam, the MP for Barguna-2, Tarique said the BNP manifesto includes plans to develop the blue economy through the science-based and sustainable use of Bangladesh’s marine resources.
He noted that the manifesto also contained a proposal to establish a National Blue Economy Authority.
Referring to the previous BNP administration, he said the Coastal Zone Policy 2005, framed under that government, had been an important milestone in the development and protection of coastal areas.
The prime minister said the current government has already taken steps on Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), while the question of building an institutional framework in the 2026-27 fiscal year remains under active consideration.
According to him, the aim is to strike a balance among marine resources, fisheries, tourism and environmental protection, while ensuring the sustainable and long-term development of the blue economy.
In response to a supplementary question, Tarique said the party’s election manifesto contains a fairly detailed plan on the blue economy, stressing that the sector could help improve the lives of millions of people living in coastal areas such as Bhola, Barguna, Patuakhali, Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram.
He said gradual development of the economic potential surrounding the sea could help transform living standards in those regions and strengthen the national economy as a whole.
River Erosion and Canal Excavation
On river erosion, Tarique told parliament the problem was not limited to one constituency or district.
Replying to a supplementary question from Shafiqul Islam, the MP for Patuakhali-2, he said the issue affects many parts of Bangladesh, including Sariakandi in his home district of Bogura, as well as other areas in both the north and south of the country.
He added that river training was one way to address the problem, though it was highly expensive and would have to be undertaken according to need.
At the same time, the prime minister stressed the importance of canal excavation, saying erosion tended to worsen during the monsoon when river flow and currents suddenly increased.
He noted that former president Ziaur Rahman had introduced the canal excavation programme to help tackle such problems, and that the current government was continuing to prioritise it.
According to Tarique, canal excavation has relevance beyond river erosion. It could also help address dry-season water shortages, expand irrigation and tackle the gradual decline in groundwater levels.
He said many farmers still struggle to get water even during the monsoon in some areas, making canal excavation an important project for agricultural support as well.
The government is moving on both fronts, but is giving particular emphasis to canal excavation as a less costly and more practical option for Bangladesh overall, according to him.
