Bangladesh's Jamaat wants hiring of music teachers scrapped

DHAKA: Bangladesh largest Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) has demanded the cancellation of the govt's recruitment of music and dance teachers at primary schools and called for appointment of religious teachers to strengthen students' moral and ethical foundations.

JeI secretary general Mia Golam Porwar criticised the recruitment of teachers for music, dance and musical instruments as "regrettable and irrational". He said religious education is essential not just for Muslim students, but also for children of all faiths.

Many govt primary schools lack qualified teachers for Islamic and moral education, despite having such subjects in the syllabus, and as a result, students are being deprived of moral guidance, he said in a statement on Sept 7. "This has led to a decline in social and moral values. Intolerance is increasing among students, and they are growing detached from their religious and cultural history and heritage," Porwar said.