Students will receive necessary textbooks by this month: Education adviser

Students will receive necessary textbooks by the end of this February, Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud said today (16 February). Speaking to reporters after a discussion on the first day of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Conference 2025 in Dhaka, he also said instructions have been given to DCs to form committees in educational institutions. 

"Retired government employees, teachers, dignitaries and respected local figures should be included in those committees so that teachers do not face problems in recruitment or work. The DCs have also been asked to resist or tolerate political pressure in this regard," he said.

The adviser said initiatives have been taken to pay teachers' outstanding allowances online.

"The amount of money required to pay retirement benefits is very insufficient. There should have been Tk6,000 or Tk7,000 crore to provide retirement benefits. It is difficult to arrange so much money even in the budget. So a fund will be formed by issuing bonds," he said.

Wahiduddin said the benefits of teachers will be increased in the next budget. Although there are some deficiencies in infrastructure, initiative has been taken to improve the quality of education, he said. 

Wahiduddin, also the planning adviser, said there are many difficulties in implementing local development projects. "Contractors have fled after taking money. There are no local public representatives. In such a situation, instructions have been given to the DCs to appoint contractors to implement public welfare projects on their own initiative."

In addition, they have been asked to inform the relevant ministry or the Ministry of Planning if any unfinished project needs to be finished. He stated that many development projects were dropped due to political considerations, while several new projects were initiated in January. 

The DCs have been instructed to oversee these new projects, he added. Stating that DCs are a powerful tool for holding fair elections, Wahiduddin said it is their responsibility to know how to conduct fair elections.