Dhaka, Nov 6 (UNI) Teachers and students in universities across Bangladesh staged massive protests against the interim government’s decision to rescind its plans for creating teaching posts for music and physical education (PE) in primary schools due to pressure from Islamists, terming it “cultural fascism”.
The protesters from various institutions including Dhaka University (DU), Jagannath University (JnU), Chittagong University (CU), and Rajshahi University (RU), demanded that the government roll back its decision.
Azizur Rahman Tuhin, Associate Professor at the Dhaka University’s Music Department, said the move was an attack on the country’s cultural foundations.
“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?” he asked, reports the Daily Star.
At Jagannath University (JnU), teachers and students from the Department of Music formed a human chain at Sculpture Square, calling for the restoration of the two posts.
JnU Chhatra Front General Secretary Shamsul Alam Maruf condemned the decision, calling it “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,” he added.
Last week, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education issued a revised gazette amending the Government Primary School Teachers Recruitment Rules 2025. The updated version removed the newly proposed assistant teacher positions for music and physical education that had been introduced in the August 28 gazette.
Additional Secretary of the ministry’s School Division, Masud Akhtar Khan, confirmed the revision, saying: “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.”
The Chief Advisor Md Yunus-led interim government scrapped its plans which it had announced back in August, following protests from several Islamic extremist groups, such as the Hefazat-e-Islam, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, and Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, which had publicly denounced the government’s move and demanded its withdrawal.
