BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Tuesday urged teachers to extend their support to BNP in the upcoming national election so that the party can form a government to build a knowledge and merit-based state and implement its plans for national and political reforms.
“To implement all the plans taken by BNP for the development of the state, politics and governance, spontaneous support from the people is essential. Support from the teachers, the most conscious section of society, is also needed,” he said.
Speaking virtually at a grand rally of teachers, the BNP leader also said his party fully agrees in principle with their just demands.
“BNP wants your support and cooperation in the upcoming national election to form a government and build a knowledge and merit-based state. BNP sincerely seeks the wholehearted cooperation of the respected teachers and employees,” he added.
The Shikkhok-Karmachari Oikya Jote, a platform of BNP-leaning teachers and employees, organised the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital to mark World Teachers’ Day.
The rally was held to press for various demands, including a non-discriminatory education system, increasing the retirement age to 65, bringing non-MPO institutions under the MPO scheme, and nationalising the jobs of teachers and employees of private institutions.
Tarique said BNP is aware of the various demands of teachers, including nationalisation of their jobs, bringing more educational institutions under the MPO scheme, and ensuring better welfare for non-government teachers.
“No matter how many reform initiatives we take in the state or politics, we will not achieve the desired results unless we modernise the education system and ensure the financial and social security and dignity of teachers,” he said.
Tarique said if BNP gets the chance to govern the country again through people’s votes, it will form a high-level commission to positively consider measures such as increasing financial security for teachers, regularising jobs, or even nationalisation, depending on the capacity of the state.
He also announced that an ‘Education Reform Commission’ will be formed on a priority basis to restructure the existing curriculum, making it more practical and technical.
“It will be difficult for us to survive in global competition unless we urgently introduce a work-oriented education system based on ethics, religious and social values, and modernise the education system,” Tarique said.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee members Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, and Professor AZM Zahid Hossain, former state minister for education ANM Ehsanul Haq Milon, National University Vice-Chancellor Professor ASM Amanullah, and former Dhaka University Pro-VC AFM Yusuf Haider, among others, spoke at the rally.
Thousands of teachers and employees from different parts of the country attended the rally.
