Charan Cultural Centre demands withdrawal of decision to scrap music, physical education posts

Charan Cultural Centre has demanded that the government withdraw its decision to abolish the posts of music and physical education teachers in government primary schools.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the organisation’s President Nikhil Das and General Secretary Zakir Hossain urged the authorities to reverse the move and reopen the path for recruiting teachers in the two subjects to foster the “humane and holistic development of children”.

Accusing “religious fascist” groups of attempting to shape Bangladesh’s education system in “Taliban-style”, the statement alleged that the government had “surrendered to several communal religious parties”.

Facing criticism from faith-based groups, the Ministry of Education on Sunday scrapped the newly-created posts of music and physical education teachers.

It also made certain “textual amendments” to the Government Primary School Teacher Recruitment Rules 2025.

Charan Cultural Centre said the two teaching positions were originally introduced to ensure children’s sound physical health and balanced mental growth.

“To protect young people from the grip of technology addiction, drug abuse, juvenile gangs, and extremist tendencies, there is no alternative to healthy cultural practice and sports,” the statement read.

“But regrettably, the government has submitted to a few communal forces. This is a self-destructive decision.”

The organisation alleged that since Aug 5, 2024, “communal extremists” had been forming mobs to attack and vandalise shrines and temples, kill dissenters, exhume and burn corpses, and destroy Liberation War memorials.

“It is ironic that when working people take to the streets for their livelihoods, they are beaten with batons, and teachers’ protests are met with water cannons, yet the government continues to patronise religious ‘fascist’ groups,” the statement continued.

“The decision to abolish music and physical education posts in primary schools is just a continuation of that pattern,” it said.