Ebtedayee Madrasah teachers in Bangladesh are anticipating a significant positive change. After a 40-year wait, the government is initiating a plan to bring registered Ebtedayee Madrasahs into the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) system. This landmark decision promises to provide much-needed financial stability to teachers who have long served without adequate compensation.
Under this new initiative, approximately 1,519 registered Ebtedayee Madrasahs and their dedicated educators are expected to be integrated into the MPO framework. If the current schedule is maintained, these teachers could start receiving their salary and allowances as early as May 2025. The government is proposing a budget allocation of 16 crore taka for the fiscal year 2024-25 to support this significant undertaking. This proposal is currently under review at the highest levels of government.
Sources within the Technical and Madrasah Education Division of the Ministry of Education have verified these developments.
A Groundbreaking Initiative
This marks the first instance since Bangladesh’s independence that the government is actively working to incorporate Ebtedayee Madrasahs into the MPO system. While previous attempts have been made, none have come to fruition. Now, with renewed commitment and leadership within the Technical and Madrasah Education Division, there is a strong push to address the long-standing financial hardships faced by these educators.
Official data from the Madrasah Education Board indicates that there are 6,997 officially listed independent Ebtedayee Madrasahs in Bangladesh. Furthermore, the Directorate of Madrasah Education estimates that approximately 5,000 additional Madrasahs are operating. Among these, 1,519 Madrasahs possess the crucial Educational Institute Identification Number (EIIN). The initial phase of MPO integration will prioritize these 1,519 institutions. It is anticipated that each Madrasah will have four teaching positions, including the head teacher, approved for MPO benefits. This could potentially impact 6,076 teachers, with a projected government expenditure exceeding 16 crore taka.
A reliable source within the Technical and Madrasah Education Division confirmed that a comprehensive summary outlining the rationale and implementation plan for this historic MPO inclusion is being prepared for senior government officials. This summary is nearing completion and is undergoing final verification.
Rationale Behind MPO Inclusion
The Ministry’s justification for extending MPO benefits to Ebtedayee Madrasahs is rooted in addressing historical inequities. Following independence, primary schools underwent phased nationalization. However, Ebtedayee Madrasahs, which provide education at the same foundational level, were not nationalized and were denied essential financial support for their teachers. While past administrations attempted to rectify this, these efforts were repeatedly stalled. Notably, in 2018, despite allocated funds for MPO inclusion, the initiative was ultimately not implemented.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior official from the Technical and Madrasah Education Division stated that the summary document for MPO inclusion of 1,519 independent Ebtedayee Madrasahs is finalized. It is currently undergoing final checks before being submitted to higher authorities.
Dr. K. M. Kabirul Islam, Secretary of the Technical and Madrasah Education Division, confirmed to a news outlet that this initiative is actively being pursued. He indicated that the summary will be presented to senior officials imminently. “We are working diligently to ensure that teachers receive salary and benefits by May. However, the ultimate decision rests with the government,” he emphasized.
Teachers Advocate for Nationalization, Government Focuses on MPO
In recent events, on January 28, 2025, Ebtedayee Madrasah teachers staged a demonstration in Dhaka, demanding the nationalization of Madrasahs. Law enforcement intervened to manage the protest. Subsequently, S. M. Masudul Haque, a senior official from the Technical and Madrasah Education Division, engaged with the protesting teachers. He announced the government’s commitment to gradually nationalize 1,519 grant-aided independent Ebtedayee Madrasahs nationwide. He also assured them that the MPO process would commence this year.
Addressing the demand for nationalization, Secretary K. M. Kabirul Islam clarified that nationalization decisions are within the purview of the political government. Currently, the focus is on initiating the MPO inclusion process utilizing available resources.
Furthermore, he stated that the Ministry is actively working to integrate all Ebtedayee Madrasahs beyond the initial 1,519 into the government’s regulatory framework. Efforts are underway to expedite the allocation of Educational Institute Identification Numbers (EIIN) to all Madrasahs.
The Secretary acknowledged the existing disparities between primary schools and Ebtedayee Madrasahs. He highlighted the smoother educational progression for primary school students compared to Ebtedayee Madrasah graduates, who lack similar structured pathways to higher education.
Persistent Educational Inequality
Primary schools and Ebtedayee Madrasahs follow a comparable curriculum for the initial grades. Over 65,000 teachers in government primary schools receive structured salary and benefits, including housing and medical allowances, aligned with established pay scales. Conversely, independent Ebtedayee Madrasahs, offering equivalent primary-level education, number approximately 8,972. With an estimated five teachers per Madrasah, the total number of educators exceeds 44,000. Disturbingly, only around 4,500 teachers from 1,519 Madrasahs receive a nominal grant. The remaining 40,000 teachers have endured years of service without regular income.
Sources highlight that this severe inequality between mainstream education and Madrasah education has persisted for four decades. Teachers’ repeated appeals for equitable treatment have yielded limited outcomes.
Educators emphasize that the core of the issue lies in the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education not incorporating the Ebtedayee level into its administrative structure. While both primary and Ebtedayee levels were initially registered in parallel, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, upon gaining independence in 2003, did not prioritize the inclusion of Ebtedayee Madrasahs. Consequently, these Madrasahs remained under the Ministry of Education, facing continued marginalization.
Currently, Ebtedayee Madrasah teachers do not receive consistent Salary or financial support. They often cite their dedication to religious education as their primary motivation for continuing to teach.
In 1994, the government initiated a grant program for teachers in only 1,519 Madrasahs. Under this program, head teachers receive a monthly grant of 2,500 taka, and assistant teachers receive 2,300 taka. There is no system for annual salary increases. This enhanced grant has been in effect since 2017, representing an improvement from the initial 500 taka, which was later increased to 1,200 taka in 2012.
Historically, the establishment of private schools and Ebtedayee Madrasahs in 1984 was driven by a government policy to expand primary education access. In 2013, while 26,193 primary schools nationwide were nationalized, independent Ebtedayee Madrasahs were excluded from this nationalization effort. Teachers have consistently protested this disparity, organizing demonstrations and hunger strikes to advocate for equal treatment.
Teachers emphasize that Alim, Fazil, and Kamil level Madrasahs, numbering 8,229 institutions, already have their Ebtedayee sections included in the MPO system, similar to teachers at other levels within those institutions. However, teachers in independent Ebtedayee Madrasahs have been denied these essential benefits.
Education Advisor Wahid Uddin Mahmud stated that despite the comparable education provided at the primary and Ebtedayee levels, a significant Salary gap persists. He acknowledged that this inequity is not in line with the vision of a progressive Bangladesh. Therefore, the initiative to include Ebtedayee teachers in the MPO system is actively progressing. He assured that teachers can expect positive news in the near future.
This MPO inclusion initiative represents a crucial step towards addressing long-standing inequalities and improving the livelihoods of Ebtedayee Madrasah teachers, who have made significant contributions to education under challenging circumstances for many years.