Bangladesh News

The government has decided to recognise Dawra degree of Qawami madrasa equivalent to master’s degree in Islamic studies or Arabic literature
Prime Minister Khaleda announced the decision at a function of Islamic thinkers and teachers of Qawami madrasas at the International Conference Centre (ICC) yesterday.

After the announcement, “Marhava”, “marhava” sound reverberated through the conference hall.

The prime minister told the function that she asked the authorities concerned to constitute a committee to frame necessary rules and regulations and institutional framework to implement the decision.

Within next one month, the prime minister said, the committee will submit necessary planning and strategy guidelines to the government.

She assured the Islamic thinkers and others concerned that the government would do everything necessary for development of Qawami madrasas, particularly implementation of the government decision to recognise Dawra certificate.

Khaleda also said the process of awarding Fazil-Kamil degree equivalent to master’s is now at final stages and the government’s decision to this effect will be announced soon.

Ministers, MPs, academics and Islamic thinkers, among others, attended the function.

The prime minister said Madrasa education that exists alongside general education is a remarkable and inseparable part of overall education system of Bangladesh.

Lakhs of madrasa-educated students enter the job market every year, but most of them do not get appropriate job for lack of proper policy, guidelines and standard education, she noted.

Describing the two streams of madrasa education, she said Alia madrasa education system has already been established on a comparatively strong institutional foundation.

Khaleda said the government has given importance to the Qawami madrasa education system and examined thoroughly what steps could be taken for overall development of this system.

“The education ministry, under the supervision of my office, has arranged opinion-exchange meetings with the country’s distinguished alem, ulema, Islamic thinkers and other eminent persons engaged in madrasa education,” the prime minister informed the function.

Recently, they have identified a number of elements for development of Qawami madrasas and expressed a strong opinion on the necessity to give urgent recognition to Dawra certificate of Qawami madrasa, she pointed out.

After overall review, the government has taken the decision to make Dawra degree equivalent to MA degree.

Education Minister Osman Farruk also spoke on the occasion.

Islamic Oikya Jote chairman Mufti Fazlul Huq Aminee MP, who was present at the function, gave his instant reaction to journalists, saying that they all are “very happy with the historic announcement of the prime minister”.

He expressed the hope that BNP and the four-party alliance would “again come to power with a big margin of vote”.