hafeezanwar
Junior Member
Bangladesh madrasahs fight stigma
Religious schools, known as Qawmi madrasahs, have long served Bangladeshis. But now they have to fight off attempts, some by even their own government, to project them as breeding grounds for extremism.
"The Awami League government has been campaigning against Qawmi madrasah education system using false accusations," Mufti Fazlul Haque Aminee, principal of Lalbag Jamia Qurania Arabia, the oldest Qawmi madrasah in Bangladesh, told.
"We do not tolerate any conspiracy against Qawmi madrasah education system."
Last month, police raided a Qawmi school owned by a British-based charity called Green Crescent in the remote island of Bhola.
Police said they seized weapons, explosive devices and materials urging Muslims to take up arms. Police chiefs across Muslim-majority Asian country have been given orders to keep watchful eyes on all Qawmi madrasahs as potential breeding grounds for terrorists and militant groups.
The government also accuses Qawmi madrasahs of lacking the tools of modern education.
"Qawmi Madrasah education system and syllabus should be changed and modernized to include science and modern subjects," Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad told.
He added that Qawmi madrasah students need more on modern technology in order to get better employment opportunities.
There are around 4 million students in about 15,000 Qawmi Islamic schools across Bangladesh, the world third-largest Muslim-majority country with a population of some 148 million.
Like in many other countries across the region, madrasahs are funded through zakah, donations and contributions from individuals or local and international charities.
Propaganda
But madrasah officials and students condemn the accusations as false propaganda tainting their educational institutions, which follow the Deoband school of thought.
"Qawmi madrasahs are not involved in militancy or any other terrorist activity," Maulana Abdul Jabber, Secretary General of Bangladesh Qawmi Madrasah Education Board, told.
"We are fighting against any kinds of militancy."
Qawmi madrasahs is one of three types of Islamic schools operating in the Asian Muslim country.
Religion-based madrasah education has long been going side by side with the general education sector.
Tens of thousands of students graduate from madrasahs every year and usually work as imams or teachers at nominally secular schools.
"There are neither militants nor militancy training in Qawmi madrasah," insists Abu Huraira, a student of a Dhaka Qawmi madrasah.
"This Qawmi madrasah system has been established by leading ulama with the help and support of Muslims," says Jashim Uddin Sarker of the Bangladesh Jammat Islami party.
"This education system was only dedicated for making Islamic experts in Bangladesh over the past century."
-Agencies
Religious schools, known as Qawmi madrasahs, have long served Bangladeshis. But now they have to fight off attempts, some by even their own government, to project them as breeding grounds for extremism.
"The Awami League government has been campaigning against Qawmi madrasah education system using false accusations," Mufti Fazlul Haque Aminee, principal of Lalbag Jamia Qurania Arabia, the oldest Qawmi madrasah in Bangladesh, told.
"We do not tolerate any conspiracy against Qawmi madrasah education system."
Last month, police raided a Qawmi school owned by a British-based charity called Green Crescent in the remote island of Bhola.
Police said they seized weapons, explosive devices and materials urging Muslims to take up arms. Police chiefs across Muslim-majority Asian country have been given orders to keep watchful eyes on all Qawmi madrasahs as potential breeding grounds for terrorists and militant groups.
The government also accuses Qawmi madrasahs of lacking the tools of modern education.
"Qawmi Madrasah education system and syllabus should be changed and modernized to include science and modern subjects," Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad told.
He added that Qawmi madrasah students need more on modern technology in order to get better employment opportunities.
There are around 4 million students in about 15,000 Qawmi Islamic schools across Bangladesh, the world third-largest Muslim-majority country with a population of some 148 million.
Like in many other countries across the region, madrasahs are funded through zakah, donations and contributions from individuals or local and international charities.
Propaganda
But madrasah officials and students condemn the accusations as false propaganda tainting their educational institutions, which follow the Deoband school of thought.
"Qawmi madrasahs are not involved in militancy or any other terrorist activity," Maulana Abdul Jabber, Secretary General of Bangladesh Qawmi Madrasah Education Board, told.
"We are fighting against any kinds of militancy."
Qawmi madrasahs is one of three types of Islamic schools operating in the Asian Muslim country.
Religion-based madrasah education has long been going side by side with the general education sector.
Tens of thousands of students graduate from madrasahs every year and usually work as imams or teachers at nominally secular schools.
"There are neither militants nor militancy training in Qawmi madrasah," insists Abu Huraira, a student of a Dhaka Qawmi madrasah.
"This Qawmi madrasah system has been established by leading ulama with the help and support of Muslims," says Jashim Uddin Sarker of the Bangladesh Jammat Islami party.
"This education system was only dedicated for making Islamic experts in Bangladesh over the past century."
-Agencies
