Parliamentary caucus on edn launched

The caucus was formed with 12 lawmakers from different political parties, including BNP, Awami League, Jatiya Party and Jamaat. State Minister for Education ANM Ehsanul Huq Milon and Prof Alauddin Ahmed MP were made its chairperson and secretary general.

It called for allocating four percent of GDP for the education sector, reducing the discrimination between the rich and the poor and ensuring a primary education free from corruption and politicisation.

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The other lawmakers of the caucus are Abu Yusuf Md Khalilur Rahman, Faruk Khan, TIM Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury, Rustam Ali Farazi, Abdur Razzak, GM Kader, Hamida Banu Shova, Ishrat Sultana Elen Bhutto, Panchanan Biswas and Shahjahan Chowdhury.

To mark the launch of the caucus, Peoples Empowerment Trust (PET) and Commonwealth Education Fund (CEF) organised a discussion on 'Quality primary education: Role of the lawmakers' at the Cirdap auditorium in the city.

Speakers at the discussion said the quality of education in the country is not satisfactory at all.

They called on the caucus members to take a strong stance in the parliament to ensure adequate allocation for primary education.

They also suggested setting up a parliamentary monitoring system to ensure quality primary education.

State Minister for Education Ehsanul Huq Milon said all should work together keeping aside their political differences for the development of the education sector.

He also said the education commission should work impartially and properly.

Prof Hayat Mamud, Prof MM Akash, Dr M Masuduzzamn and Shakhawat Ansari jointly presented a keynote paper with a recommendation for an increased allocation for primary education.

The allocation for primary education in Bangladesh is the lowest among South Asian countries, they said.

Former minister for education ASHK Sadek, Prof Anisuzzaman, Prof Amirul Islam Chowdhury, Kazi Rafiqul Alam of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Rasheda K Chowdhury of Gonoswakkharata Avijan, Rafiqul Islam Sathi of Save The Children, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of Coast and President of Non-government Primary Teachers' Association Md Shamsul Alam also spoke.