Bangladesh: University students, teachers protest over scrapped music, PE teacher posts

Dhaka, Nov 6 (IANS) Several teachers and students from Bangladesh's Dhaka University on Thursday held a protest calling for the reinstatement of music and physical education teacher positions in primary education, local media reported.

The protest was organised in response to the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government’s recent decision to cancel plans for music and Physical Education (PE) teachers' posts in government primary schools, weeks after facing criticism from several radical Islamist organisations.

“Music and physical education help raise a child into a human being. You can see that music is taught in all countries across the world. This is because music keeps people away from crime. So, why are we standing here today? This is not just shameful for the Department of Music, but a shame for the entire country. Why do we have to stand in defence of music?" Bangladeshi media outlet bdnews 24 quoted Humaira Nawaz, a protesting student of the Department of Music at Dhaka University, as saying.

Azizur Rahman Tuhin, Associate Professor of the Department of Music, said, "Looking back at world history, we see that civilisations have survived and flourished through art, literature, culture, and music. Every civilisation preserves its artistic heritage. The decision to abolish the positions of music and physical education teachers in primary schools is a conspiracy to obstruct the mental and physical development of our children. In whose interest is this being done?”

Additionally, at Jagannath University (JnU) in Dhaka, teachers and students from the Department of Music formed a human chain at Sculpture Square on campus to demand the reinstatement of the two posts.

Condemning the interim government's decision, JnU Chhatra Front General Secretary Shamsul Alam Maruf said: "This is a form of cultural fascism. The government is abolishing 'Music and Physical Education' teaching posts, which is absurd. The state is becoming market-centric, leaving no room for intellectual or cultural development."

Last week, Bangladesh's Ministry of Primary and Mass Education released a revised gazette, changing the Government Primary School Teachers Recruitment Rules 2025. The revised gazette did not include two new teaching positions, which were mentioned in the earlier gazette released on August 28.

Additional Secretary of the ministry's School Division, Masud Akhtar Khan, stated: "A revised gazette has been issued. While the earlier version listed four categories of teachers, the new one includes only two. The posts of assistant teachers for music and physical education are no longer included."

Following the August 28 announcement to recruit music and physical education teachers, several Islamist organisations, including Hefazat-e-Islam, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish and Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, had criticised the decision of the authorities and demanded its withdrawal.

Since the collapse of the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 and Muhammad Yunus' takeover as the Chief Advisor to the interim government, Bangladesh has witnessed a surge in religious extremism.

--IANS

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