Bangladesh minister backs religious education to build moral generation

Bangladesh’s Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon has called for a stronger role for religious education in shaping a generation grounded in moral values, compassion and humanity, saying it can help address what he described as growing moral degradation in society.

Religious education, he said, must begin at an early age and go hand in hand with modern learning to help young people develop a strong ethical foundation.

“Teachers and religious education must play the most important role in preventing moral degradation in the present social system,” Milon said.

He added that students who memorise the Holy Quran are encouraged to uphold its teachings in their daily lives and refrain from wrongdoing. Incorporating religious values into education is essential to building the Bangladesh of tomorrow, he said.

The minister was speaking at the third session of the 14th Hifzul Quran Award and Quran Festival 2026, organised by the Tanzimul Ummah Foundation at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka.

Milon said a strong grounding in religious education, beginning with village maktabs alongside general schooling, could help guide young people away from harmful influences. He stressed that modern science and technology should be integrated into the education system without losing sight of religious and moral values.

He also highlighted the government’s efforts to narrow the gap between madrasa and general education, saying the two streams were gradually becoming more aligned.

The inclusion of science, arts, commerce and technical subjects in madrasas alongside religious studies was helping broaden educational opportunities for students, he said. He also traced the modernisation of madrasa education to initiatives launched during the tenure of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.

Addressing concerns over educational standards, Milon said the government was taking a firm stance against irregularities by institutions seeking Monthly Pay Order (MPO) facilities and against substandard teaching. He added that efforts were under way to address shortages of Islamic studies teachers and ensure the recruitment of qualified educators.

The event brought together Islamic scholars, educationists and public representatives, including former religious affairs adviser Dr A F M Khalid Hossain and lawmakers Barrister Najibur Rahman Momen, Hafez Rashedul Islam and Sayed Uddin Ahmad Hanzala.

The programme was presided over by Maulana Zainul Abedin, former principal of Tamirul Millat Kamil Madrasa and secretary of Tamirul Millat Trust. Maulana Abdullah Al Mamun, principal of Tanzimul Ummah Alim Madrasa, delivered the welcome address.

A highlight of the day-long festival was the recognition of 1,759 students who had memorised the Holy Quran at different branches of the Tanzimul Ummah Foundation. The students received crests, certificates, turbans or scarves and other awards in recognition of their achievement.

Their parents were also honoured for their role in supporting their children’s religious education and helping them complete the demanding journey of memorising the Quran.