'Update madrasa education to enter modern job market'

They also laid emphasis on modern training for madrasa teachers including in Bachelor of Education (BEd) programme.

The roundtable styled as 'Developing madrasa education: Bangladesh perspective' was organised jointly by NIBRAS Foundation Bangladesh and World Assembly of Muslim Youth at the National Press Club in the city.

The speakers said Ebtedayee madrasa education which is equivalent to primary level, should be given priority and students of Ebtedayee should be provided with free textbooks as most of them come from poor family.

They said subjects like science, mathematics, English and IT technology should be incorporated into madrasa curriculum.

Prof Dr Mustafizur Rahman, former vice-chancellor of Kushtia Islami University, said a separate university will have to be established for implementing the recognition of Fazil and Kamil degrees equivalent to graduation (pass) and master degrees.

The immediate-past BNP-Jamaat government gave the recognition at the eleventh hour of its tenure.

Dr Mumtaz Ahmad of Hampton University, USA said madrasa education has come to light after 9/11 incident.

"Most of the people have wrong conception about madrasa education. But it has been proved that madrasa has no role in creating militancy," he told the roundtable.

Dr Yaqub, former registrar of Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board, said around 70 percent of textbooks do not have correct information and the government should take effective measures for updating them.

"Madrasa students will not be able to enter the modern job market without modernisation of their curriculum, " said Secretary to Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Ministry Dr Quazi Motahar Hussain.

Moderated by Former Secretary Shah Abdul Hannan, the roundtable was also addressed by Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd Vice-chairman Prof Mainul Abedeen and former principal of Madrasa-e-Alia Prof Mansurur Rahman.