Education Systems in Bangladesh

The main education system is divided into three levels: Primary Level (Class 1–5), Secondary
Level (Class 6–12), Tertiary Level.

Article 17 of the Bangladesh Constitution provides that all children receive free and
compulsory education.

The overall responsibility for the management of primary education lies with the Ministry of
Primary and Mass Education (MOPME), which was set up in 1992. While MOPME is
involved in the formulation of policies, the responsibility of implementation rests with the
Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) headed by a Director General. The National Curriculum
and Textbook Board (NCTB) is responsible for the development of curriculum and production of
textbooks.

The DPE was responsible for conducting the two public examinations: PEC and JSC. Their
responsibilities include Primary Education in Bangladesh, Recruitment, posting, and
transfer of teachers and staffs, Arranging in-service training of teachers, distributing free
textbooks, and Supervising schools.

Nine region-based Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) are responsible for
conducting the two public examinations: (SSC) and (HSC)

Rajshahi Collegiate School is the first and oldest school. Faujdarhat Cadet College is the
first cadet college in Bangladesh. At present there are 12 cadet colleges in Bangladesh,
including 3 cadet colleges for girls.

At the tertiary level, universities are regulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
There are 55 public universities, 113 private universities and 3 international universities
registered under the University Grants Commission (Bangladesh). Establishment of private
universities in Bangladesh was initiated after the institution of the Private University Act
1992. There are 113 such operational universities in Bangladesh. The University of Comilla
was the first private university (1995). One university in Dhaka city is established only for
women.

International Universities:
Islamic University of Technology (IUT) established by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
and is located in Gazipur
Asian University for Women located in Chattogram and funded by the Asian University for
Women Support Foundation (AUWSF), a United States–based non-profit corporation.

South Asian University (SAU) is an international university established by the eight member
nations of South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC). The University is
currently functioning in New Delhi. The university now offers post-graduate and doctoral
programmes in various disciplines. It will ultimately have 11 post-graduate faculties and a
faculty of undergraduate studies.

The National University of Bangladesh (1992) is a public university that operates through a
number of colleges all over Bangladesh instead of a localized campus. It has headquarters in
Gazipur. (2,254 affiliated colleges)

Bangladesh Open University (বাংলাদেশ উন্মুক্ত বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়) or BOU is a public university with
its main campus in Gazipur. It is the 7th largest university in the world according to
enrolment. As the only public university in Bangladesh to use distance education as a
method of delivery, BOU is mandated to "promote through multimedia; instruction of
every standard and knowledge – by means of any form of communications technology, to
give the people educational opportunities by democratizing education and creating a class
of competent people” .

At present there are total 115 recognized medical colleges in Bangladesh, 37 of which are
public and 72 private. At present in Government medical college MBBS student seat is about
4350. In Private medical college MBBS student seat is about 6040 and in Army control medical
college MBBS seat is about 375,every year this number is changing.

There are 9 public and 26 dental colleges in Bangladesh. Each dental college is affiliated with
a specific medical faculty of a university.

The Government Unani and Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital is a graduate, non-profit
medical university, and associated hospital, located in Dhaka.

The Technical Education Board controls technical and vocational training in the secondary level.

The Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) is responsible for the planning, development, and
implementation of technical and vocational education in the country. Curriculum is implemented
by BTEB.
Normally it takes an additional two and a half to three years of coursework to obtain a bachelor's
degree, although some students take more than three years to do so. They can then enroll in
post-graduate studies.

Students can also study CA (Chartered Accounting) after passing HSC or bachelor's degree and
subject to fulfilling the entry criteria of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh
(ICAB).

The "Quomi" Madrasah system is privately owned and funded and is un according to the
Deobandi system of Islamic education, which rejects the rational sciences.

The "Alia" madrasah system is privately owned but subsidized by the government. The
Madrasah Education Board covers religious (Islam) education in government-registered
Madrasahs at the secondary level.

The Alia system is like the general education system, except that Religious studies are taught in
Arabic, and the students must also complete all the General Education System courses. After
passing "Alim," a student can enroll for three additional years to obtain a "Fazil" level.
Students can go for further general education and earn a university degree. After passing
successfully, they can further enroll for another two years to obtain a "Kamil" level degree.

The largest NFE program is the much-reputed BRAC program. NGO-run schools differ from
other private schools. While private schools operate guided by commercial interests, NGO
schools operate mainly in areas not served by any schools, essentially to meet the educational
needs of vulnerable groups in society.

QS Asia ranking 2023

1. University of Dhaka 151

2. Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology 191

Problems in Education

Low Performances and Dropout Rates: Factors contributing to low academic performances and
high dropout rates at primary and secondary levels include:

1. Poverty impacts students' ability to attend and perform well in school.

 2. Disparities in educational opportunities and facilities across different regions.
3. Poor school attendance due to various socio-economic factors.
4. Limited contact time in school, reducing effective learning hours.
5. A shortage of skilled school teachers affecting quality education.
6. Overloaded curriculum that burdens students without enhancing learning.
7. Flawed grading system that does not accurately reflect students' abilities.
8. High cost of private education limiting access for underprivileged students.
9. Focus on rote memorization due to PEC and JSC examinations, undermining
understanding and creativity.
10. Reliance on guidebooks, private tutors, and coaching centers, detracting from genuine
learning and understanding.

Curriculum and Teaching Methodologies:

1. Introduction of a creative curriculum without adequate preparation, leading to a gap in

implementation.
2. Significant percentage of teachers unable to prepare creative questions or understand the
creative education system.
3. Dependence on guidebooks for lesson preparation and student learning, discouraging
engagement with the core curriculum.

Infrastructure and Teacher-Student Ratio:

1. Exceeding the international standard for teacher-student ratios, with one teacher for every
53 students.
2. Inadequate school facilities including classrooms, libraries, and playgrounds contributing
to poor educational quality.

Problems in Higher Education

Institutional Challenges:

1. Corruption and nepotism affecting the quality of education and faculty recruitment.
2. Political influence in the recruitment process leading to the hiring of less meritorious
teachers.
3. Session jams due to administrative inefficiencies, delaying students' academic
progression.
4. Lack of modern facilities, including research capabilities, undermining the quality of
higher education.
5. Prevalence of politics among teachers and students, distracting from academic objectives.
 6. Financial crises impacting the availability of resources for students and faculty.
7. Insufficient residential halls and shortage of seats for applicants, limiting access to
education.

Market Alignment and Employment:

1. Weak linkage between universities and the job market, resulting in unemployment or
underemployment of graduates.
2. Private universities focusing on a narrow range of market-driven disciplines, potentially
neglecting broader educational needs.
3. Political exploitation of students, detracting from their educational pursuits and civic
development.

The New National Curriculum

The approved major overhaul of the current curriculum is about to be implemented nationwide
for classes 1–12 starting from classes 6 and 7 in 2023, classes 8 and 9 in 2024, class 10 in 2025,
class 11 in 2026, and finally class 12 in 2027.

The new curriculum is expected to reduce the need of after school coaching centers as there will
be various activities involved in the learning process offering students a better understanding of
each topics.

It is expected to shift our curriculum from an outcome-centric one to a competency-based one

with 10 selected competencies a student is supposed to possess at completion of class 12 with
emphasis on character building.

Separate streams of education (Arts, Commerce, Science) will be eliminated for only 10 uniform
subjects for classes 6–10, but such streams will remain for classes 11–12 or HSC candidates.

There will be no standardized tests at schools or board up to class 3, students of grades one to
three will be evaluated on the basis of their classroom performance and continuous evaluation.
Also PEC and JEC is diminished.

The question pattern is also expected to be changed under the new curriculum in accordance with
international standards, but official declaration has not come yet detailing the new question
pattern.

10 selected competencies
 1. Ability to express one’s views and opinions properly and creatively according to the
context, respecting and understanding the opinions and propositions of others.

2. Ability to take logical and the most beneficial decisions for all after considering various
aspects of an issue holistically through critical thinking.

3. Ability to achieve the qualities of a global citizen by showing love and loyalty to one’s
country and upholding traditions, culture, history and heritage while respecting
differences and diversity.

4. Ability to take logical and the most beneficial decisions for all and solve problems with
the participation of all through problem projection, quick realization, analysis, synthesis
and consideration of future significance.

5. Ability to adapt to the changing world through peaceful coexistence while maintaining
cooperation, respect and harmony and to play a role in creating a safer habitable world
for future generations.

6. Ability to artistically present and contribute to national and global welfare by creating
new ways, strategies and possibilities adapting new attitudes, ideas, and perspectives.

7. Ability to create and maintain risk-free, safe and acceptable personal, familial, social,
state and global relationships and communications by knowing one’s own position and
role in managing one's own physical and mental health.

8. Ability to deal with disasters by facing risks and opportunities while keeping human
dignity intact and preparing oneself for safe and secure life and livelihood in a constantly
changing world.

9. Ability to solve everyday problems in a changing world using mathematical, scientific

and technological skills.

10. Ability to engage oneself in the welfare of nature and humanity through religious
discipline, honesty and moral virtues and the practice of integrity.

**** Problems with the new curriculum

1. Lack of Clarity and Training: Teachers have reported insufficient training and lack of clear
guidelines for teaching the new curriculum and evaluating student performance. Although a 2.
five-day training program was organized, many teachers did not receive it, and there was no
comprehensive training on student evaluation.

2. Increased Pressure on Students: Contrary to the intention to reduce student stress by removing
exams, the continuous class activities and assignments have significantly increased pressure on
students. This continuous assessment model has become a source of stress, rather than relief.

3. Rising Educational Costs: The new curriculum has inadvertently increased the cost of
education. The reliance on digital devices for research and the need for additional resources
beyond the textbooks for assignments have escalated expenses, making education less accessible
for some.

4. Digital Device Dependency: The requirement for personal research and the use of digital tools
for assignments is leading to an excessive dependence on digital devices among students, which
guardians are concerned could be harmful.

5. Group Work Evaluation Concerns: The method of evaluating group projects does not account
for individual contributions, leading to equal assessment of all group members regardless of their
actual involvement. This could demotivate students who contribute more significantly to group
tasks.

6. Demand for Conventional Exams: Some guardians and educators are calling for the
reintroduction of traditional pen-and-paper tests to evaluate individual student performance and
talents more accurately.

7. Evaluation Complexity: The transition to the new curriculum has introduced a novel
assessment app, "Naipunya", for storing assessment information. However, teachers have found
the guideline for using this app for summative assessments challenging, citing a lack of training
on this digital tool.

8. Curriculum Phasing Concerns: Although the new curriculum aims to be fully implemented
across all grades by 2027, the staggered introduction has led to confusion and resistance among
some guardians and educators.

9. Subject Stream Removal: The decision to remove separate strands (science, humanities,
commerce) until the ninth grade and have all students study the same ten subjects until the tenth
grade has raised questions about the depth of subject-specific knowledge students will receive
before making their higher secondary level choices.
 Geography of Bangladesh
Bangladeshis a densely populated, low-lying, mainly riverine country located in South Asia with
a coastline of 580 km on the northern littoral of the Bay of Bengal.

Straddling the Tropic of Cancer, Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate characterized by
heavy seasonal rainfall, high temperatures, and high humidity.

The country has an area of 147,570 sq km. Bangladesh is bordered on the west, north, and east
by a 4,095 km land frontier with India and, in the southeast, by a short land and water frontier
193 km with Myanmar.

The territorial waters of Bangladesh extend 12 nautical miles (22 km), and the exclusive
economic zone of the country is 200 nautical miles (370 km). Roughly 80% of the landmass is
made up of fertile alluvial lowland called the Bangladesh Plain. The plain is part of the larger
Plain of Bengal, which is sometimes called the Lower Gangetic Plain.

About 10,000 sq km of the total area of Bangladesh is covered with water, larger areas are
routinely flooded during the monsoon season. The only exceptions to Bangladesh's low
elevations are the Chattogram Hills in the southeast, the Low Hills of Sylhet in the northeast, and
highlands in the north and northwest.

At 1,052 m altitude, the highest elevation in Bangladesh is found at Saka Haphong, in the
southeastern part of the hills.

About 67% of Bangladesh's nonurban land is arable. Permanent crops cover only 2%,
meadows and pastures cover 4%, and forests
and woodland cover about 16%.

The country produces large quantities of quality timber, bamboo, and sugarcane. Rubber planting
in the hilly regions of the country was undertaken in the 1980s, and rubber extraction had started
by the end of the decade. A variety of wild animals are found in the forest areas, mainly in
Sundarbans on the southwest coast, which is the home of the royal Bengal tiger.

The alluvial soils in Bangladesh Plain are generally fertile and are enriched with heavy silt
deposits carried downstream during the rainy season.
The areas around Dhaka and Cumilla are the most densely settled. Dhaka is a megacity, and
has a population of 23.2 (?) million in Dhaka Metropolitan Area. The Sundarbans and the
Chittagong Hill Tracts are the least densely populated.

Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate characterized by wide seasonal variations in rainfall,
high temperatures, and high humidity. There are four seasons depending on the temperature,
rainfall and direction of wind: Mild and cool Winter from December to February, Hot and
sunny Summer or pre Monsoon season from March to May, Somewhat cooler and very wet
Monsoon season from June to September. Pleasant, shorter and cooler Autumn season in
October–November.

Bangladesh’s historical climate has experienced average temperatures around 26⁰C, but range
between 15⁰C and 36⁰C throughout the year. April is the hottest month in most parts of the
country. January is the coolest month. The country has never recorded an air temperature below
0 °C, with a record low of 1.1 °C in the north west city of Dinajpur.

Between 1947 and 1988, 13 severe cyclones hit Bangladesh, causing enormous loss of life and
property. Natural calamities, such as floods, tropical cyclones, tornadoes, and tidal
bores—destructive waves or floods caused by flood tides rushing up the country, particularly the
coastal belt, almost every year. In 1970 Bhola cyclone was a devastating tropical cyclone in the
Bengal region, that struck East Pakistan and India's West Bengal on November 12, 1970. It
remains the deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded and one of the world's deadliest
humanitarian disasters.

Adequate infrastructure and air transport facilities that would ease the suffering of the affected
people had not been established by the late 1980s.

Efforts by the government under the Five-Year Plans were directed toward accurate and timely
forecast capability through agrometeorology, marine meteorology, oceanography,
hydrometeorology, and seismology.

For example, in 1988 two-thirds of Bangladesh's 64 districts experienced extensive flood damage
in the wake of unusually heavy rains that flooded the river systems.

Climate change in Bangladesh is a critical issue as the country is one of the most vulnerable to
the effects of climate change. In the 2020 edition of German watch's Climate Risk Index, it
ranked seventh in the list of countries most affected by climate calamities during the period
1999–2018. Bangladesh's vulnerability to climate change impacts is due to a combination of
geographical factors, such as its flat, low-lying, and delta-exposed topography, and
socio-economic factors, including its high population density, levels of poverty, and dependence
on agriculture. Factors such as frequent natural disasters, lack of infrastructure, high population
density, an extractives economy and social disparities are increasing the vulnerability of the
country in facing the current changing climatic conditions.

To address the sea level rise threat in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 was launched
in 2018. The government of Bangladesh is working on a range of specific climate change
adaptation strategies. Climate Change adaptation plays a crucial role in fostering the country's
Development. This is already being considered as a synergic urgent action together with other
pressing factors which impede higher growth rates (such as the permanent threat of shocks –
natural, economic or political – the uncertain impact of globalization, and an imbalanced world
trade). As of 2020, it was seen falling short of most of its initial targets, still leaving 80 million
people at risk of flooding where it should have been reduced to 60 million people. The progress
is being monitored.

About 700 in number, these rivers generally flow south. The profusion of rivers can be divided
into five major networks. The first one Jamuna-Brahmaputra network is 292 km long and
extends from northern Bangladesh to its confluence with the Padma. At the point where the
Brahmaputra meets the Tista River in Bangladesh, it becomes known as the Jamuna. The Jamuna
is notorious for its shifting subchannels and for the formation of fertile silt islands (chars).

The second system is the Padma-Ganges. A 258 km segment, the Ganges, which extends from
the western border with India to its confluence with the Jamuna some 72 km west of Dhaka. And
a 126 km segment, the Padma, which runs from the Ganges-Jamuna confluence to where it joins
the Meghna River at Chandpur. The Padma-Ganges is the central part of a deltaic river system
with hundreds of rivers and streams—some 2,100 km in length—flowing generally east or west
into the Padma.

The third network is the Surma-Meghna River System, which courses from the northeastern
border with India to Chandpur, where it joins the Padma.

Below the city of Kalipur it is known as the Meghna. When the Padma and Meghna join,
they form the fourth river system—the Padma-Meghna—which flows 145 km to the Bay of
Bengal.

A fifth river system, unconnected to the other four, is the Karnaphuli. Flowing through the region
of Chittagong and the Chittagong Hills, it cuts across the hills and runs rapidly downhill to the
west and southwest and then to the sea. The port of Chittagong is situated on the banks of the
Karnaphuli. The Karnaphuli Reservoir and Karnaphuli Dam are located in this area. The dam
impounds the Karnaphuli River's waters in the reservoir for the generation of hydroelectric
power.

Water resources development has responded to this "dual water regime" by providing flood
protection, drainage to prevent over flooding and waterlogging, and irrigation facilities for the
expansion of winter cultivation.

Bangladesh coastal areas are covering the south part of Bangladesh. The main rivers of
Bangladesh derived from the Himalayas carry a high level of sediment and deposit it across the
Bay of Bengal. Over 30 years of morphological changes many islands are losing land area.
However, there has been an overall net gain in the land area due to the regular acceleration
process in other parts of those islands. In the west, new islands were found, but no significant
changes were observed. At the mouth of the Meghna estuary, noticeable variable changes have
been observed with the formation of many new islands.

Bangladesh: An Introduction
Officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. Bangladesh ranks
number 8 in the list of countries by population. It’s area either 148,460 square kilometres
147,570 square km. It is one of the most densely populated (1342.10/sq.km) countries in the
world.

Bangladesh shares land borders with India to the west, north, and east, Myanmar to the
southeast, and the Bay of Bengal to the south. It is narrowly separated from Nepal and Bhutan
by the Siliguri Corridor; and from China by the Indian state of Sikkim in the north, respectively.

In Bronze Age, in proto-Dravidian tribe, this land is known as the Austric (The Austric languages
refer to a large hypothetical language group primarily spoken in Southeast Asia) word "Bonga"
(Sun god), and the Iron Age Vanga Kingdom. The Indo-Aryan suffix Desh is derived from the
Sanskrit word deśha, which means "land" or "country". Hence, the name Bangladesh means
"Land of Bengal" or "Country of Bengal".

The green background of the Bangladesh flag represents the green landscape and rich vegetation
that makes up Bangladesh. The red in the center disk represents the blood the Bengalis shed
during the Bangladesh Liberation War and the blood of those who died for the independence.
The first version of the flag was designed and made by a section of student leaders and activists
of Swadheen Bangla Nucleus on 6 June 1970, at room 108 of Iqbal Hall (now Sergeant Zahurul
Haq hall), Dhaka University. On 2 March 1971, this initial version of the flag was hoisted in
Bangladesh for the first time at Dhaka University, by A. S. M. Abdur Rab, the then Vice
President of Dhaka University Students' Union (DUCSU). In March, 2012 a mural titled
Shangrami Chetona has been placed there.

On 26 July 1971, Zakaria Pintoo the captain of the Shadhin Bangla Football Team became the
first person to hoist the Bangladesh flag on foreign land, before a match in Nadia district of West
Bengal.

Amar Sonar Bangla is the national anthem of Bangladesh (the first ten (10) lines of this song) It
was written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1905. The melody of the hymn derived from the
baul singer Gagan Harkara's song (আমি কোথায় পাবো তারে) in 1889 set to Dadra tal.

Bangla is the 7th most spoken language of the world Bangla has been voted the sweetest
language in the world.

● National Mammal গঙ্গা নদী শুশুক Ganges river dolphin

● National Document পাকিস্তানের আত্মসমর্পনের দলিল Pakistani Instrument of Surrender
● Jamuna is the National river of Bangladesh. It is the main distributary channel of
the Brahmaputra River as it flows from India to Bangladesh.
● National Dish Sharisha Illish
● National game কাবাডি Kabadi (Ha-Du-Du)
● National Temple Dhakeshwari temple
● National park ভাওয়াল জাতীয় উদ্যান Bhawal National Park
● National library Agargaon
● The national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was a Bengali poet, writer, musician, and
revolutionary. He is the national poet of Bangladesh.
● National hero Bangabir Muhammad Ataul Gani Osmani was the
commander-in-chief of the Bangladesh Forces during the 1971 Bangladesh War of
Independence. He officially becomes the national hero of Bangladesh.
● Historic Hero: Siraj Ul Daulah

National monument of Bangladesh: Jatiyo Smriti Soudho

Architect : Syed Mainul Hossain

Each of these seven pairs of walls represents a significant chapter in thevhistory of Bangladesh:

1. The Language Movement in 1952

 2. The Election of United Front in 1954

3. The Constitution Movement in 1956

4. The Education Movement in 1962

5. The 6-point Movement in 1966

6. The Mass Uprising in 1969, and finally

7. The Liberation War in 1971, through which Bangladesh was liberated.

The Shaheed Minar is a national monument in Dhaka, Bangladesh, established to commemorate

those killed during the Bengali Language Movement demonstrations of 1952 in then East
Pakistan. Architect: Hamidur Rahman

Keokradong (Ruma, Bandarban) Although it is widely reported to be the highest point in

Bangladesh at 1,230 m (4,040 ft).
Another peak that is sometimes claimed to be the peak of Bangladesh is Tazing Dong (also
known as Bijoy). It has been claimed to be 1280 m.

Tazing Dong is officially recognized as the highest point of Bangladesh. Keokradong is a popular
tourist attraction in Bangladesh for mountaineers.

Saka Haphong (also Mowdok Taung or Tlang Moy) is a peak in Bangladesh, often
considered the highest point of the country, with an elevation of 1,052 metres (3,451 ft). Located
on the Bangladesh–Burma border, it is situated between Thanchi, Bandarban, Bangladesh and
the Chin State of Burma.

বাংলাদেশের জাতীয় প্রতীক was adopted shortly after independence in 1971.

Located on the emblem is a water lily, that is bordered on two sides by rice sheaves. Above the
water lily are four stars and three connected jute leaves. The water lily is the country's national
flower, and is representative of the many rivers
that run through Bangladesh. Rice represents its presence as the staple food of Bangladesh, and
for the agriculture of that nation. The four stars represent the four founding principles of the
first constitution of Bangladesh in 1972: nationalism, secularism, socialism, and democracy. The
jute leaves represent the main export item (not now) of Bangladesh

GI (geographical indication) Products Of Bangladesh

1.Jamdani

2. Hilsha Fish

3. Khirsapat mango of Chapainawabganj

4. Dhakai Muslin

5. Rajshahi silk

6. Kataribhog rice of Dinajpur

7. Kaligira rice of Bangladesh

8. Shatranji of Rangpur

9. White clay of Bijoypur in Netrakona

The Sundarban is a vast forest in the coastal region of the Bay of Bengal; considered one of the
natural wonders of the world, it was recognised in 1997 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site of
Bangladesh. Located in the delta region of Padma, Meghna and Brahmaputra river basins,

One of the longest natural sand beaches in the world. Stretching a remarkable 75 miles in length,
is one of the longest uninterrupted natural sand beaches in all of Bangladesh.

Native name: সেন্ট মার্টি ন দ্বীপ/ নারিকেল জিঞ্জিরা (Narikel jinjira) / দারুচিনি দ্বীপ (Daruchini Dwip)