Hundreds of teachers representing primary schools and madrasahs to universities yesterday expressed their “total solidarity” with the nationwide ant-militancy campaign and their firm commitment to play their part in uprooting terrorism in the name of religion.
“We will resist the recent rise of militancy and terrorism adopting different action plans . . . with an aim to create a humane bond of consciousness,” said a statement issued at a national anti-militancy convention of teachers at the National Museum Auditorium. The convention adopted a series of action plans including extra-curricular activities to be promoted or implemented at all educational institutions to prevent militancy and uphold the Liberation War spirit. Some 700 teachers of state-run and private universities, collages, high schools, madrasahs and technical education institutions joined the convention attended as well by Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman.
Vice chancellor of premier Dhaka University Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique, former vice chancellor Professor Azad Chowdhury and several other senior academics took part in the convention staged by Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers Association (FBUTA). FBUTA President and convention organizing committee convener Professor Farid Uddin Ahmed chaired the convention with involvement of 23 orgaisations of teachers. Nahid urged the teachers to keep the declarations in mind and called upon all teachers’ organisations to work together for ensuring quality education to fulfill the target of vision- 2021 under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “Teachers will have to know their every students in person . . . families will have to keep a watch on their children,” he said. Asaduzzaman Khan urged Islamic and religious scholars to take a leading role in preventing and eliminating terrorism and militancy by disseminating actual knowledge of religion. He said the schools and other educational institutions should regularly stage assemblies so that the national anthem there could instill into the students a sense of patriotism and keep them away from militants’ crunch.
