Dhaka: A total of 1,519 independent Ebtedayee madrasas, which currently receive grant support, are set to be integrated into the government’s monthly pay order (MPO) system, but this will occur under certain conditions. The government has already issued a public notice regarding this development.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, eligibility for inclusion in the MPO system hinges on the compliance of these madrasas with specific guidelines. These include adherence to the established guidelines for setting up independent Ebtedayee madrasas, along with compliance with teaching recognition, administrative and staffing structures, as well as other criteria outlined in the MPO Policy 2025. The notification detailing these requirements was issued on June 26 and was signed by Md. Abdul Hannan, Deputy Secretary of the MPO Section under the Technical and Madrasa Education Division of the Ministry of Education.
The notice specifies that online applications for MPO registration of the grant-aided Ebtedayee madrasas will be accepted from July 3 to July 10. Applications can be submitted via the “Online Ebtedie MPO Application” link available on the websites of the Technical and Madrasa Education Division, the Directorate of Madrasa Education, or the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS). The notification clearly states that applications will not be accepted directly, by email, or by letter at the Technical and Madrasa Education Division or any of its subordinate offices.
The entire MPO registration process will be conducted digitally, and a list of eligible institutions will be compiled based on the criteria set forth in the 2025 MPO policy for independent Ebtedayee madrasas. Ministry of Education sources indicated that the government released the 2025 policy document on June 25 to guide the operation of these institutions.
In 2018, the Technical and Madrasa Education Division developed a policy related to the manpower structure and salary allowances for such madrasas, but the teachers had not been able to reap the intended benefits. Under the new policy, once registered under the MPO, teachers are expected to receive a government salary share. Currently, Ebtedayee madrasa heads receive a monthly grant of Tk 3,500, while assistant teachers receive Tk 3,300.
In response to persistent demonstrations by teachers, the Ministry of Education announced on January 28 its plan to incorporate these madrasas into the MPO and gradually nationalize them. On March 5, on the last working day of former Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud, the government approved the registration of 1,519 Ebtedayee madrasas with Educational Institution Identification Numbers (EIINs).
Ministry sources also noted that in 1984, the government registered 18,189 independent Ebtedayee madrasas alongside private primary schools. In 1994, 1,519 of these madrasas were granted Tk 500 each, similar to primary schools that were later nationalized. These madrasas have continued to receive the small grants. Md. Saiful Islam, Additional Secretary (Madrasa) at the Technical and Madrasa Education Division, stated to BSS that the MPO policy has been adopted and a public notice for registration has been issued. Once included, Ebtedayee teachers will receive the government’s share of their salaries and allowances, akin to those in private schools and colleges.