1,090 independent Ebtedayee madrasas demand swift MPO inclusion

Teachers say they have been left deprived despite promises of formalisation and face hardship without pay support

Independent Ebtedayee Madrasa Education Development Bangladesh has urged the government to quickly include 1,090 verified madrasas in the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme.

The demand was made at a press briefing outside the National Press Club on Tuesday.

At the briefing, the organisation’s Secretary General Rezaul Haque said: “Independent Ebtedayee madrasas have been running education equivalent to primary schools under the 1978 ordinance and registration from the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board in 1984.

“At one time students received stipends and feeding support, but since 2022 that has stopped.”

He added, “In 1994, teachers of independent Ebtedayee madrasas were given only a small allowance. Despite the nationalisation of primary schools, these madrasas have been left out, forcing teachers to live in dire conditions.

Rezaul also referred to a government announcement made in January by the joint secretary of the Technical and Madrasah Education Division.

“He had said all Ebtedayee madrasas would be gradually formalised. Yet, regrettably, in July only applications for MPO inclusion from 1,519 grant-receiving madrasas were accepted.

“Among these, verification for 1,090 institutions has been completed but the official gazette notification has not yet been published,” he added.