Ebtedayee Madrasas Set for MPO Enlistment Soon: Secretary
The Education Ministry’s Technical and Madrasa Education Division Secretary, Dr. K M Kabirul Islam, announced that the order for the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) enlistment of independent Ebtedayee madrasas will be issued soon. Speaking at a meeting with the Education Reporters Association, Bangladesh (ERAB) at the Secretariat on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, he said, “Since assuming my role as secretary, I’ve prioritized the MPO enlistment of independent Ebtedayee madrasas. The summary has been sent to the Chief Adviser, who is currently in Malaysia, so it awaits his signature. It may be signed tomorrow, Thursday, or by next week at the latest.”
The announcement follows protests by teachers earlier this year, leading to a decision to initially enlist independent Ebtedayee madrasas under the MPO scheme, with a plan for phased nationalization. On June 25, 2025, the ministry issued the MPO policy for Ebtedayee madrasas, setting an application period from July 8 to 15, 2025. Of 1,519 grant-receiving madrasas, 1,327 applied, and after verification, 1,090 were finalized for MPO enlistment, with 237 excluded for not meeting criteria, according to Dr. Mohammad Hedayet Ullah, a curriculum expert at the Madrasa Education Board.
Under the 2025 MPO policy, six positions per madrasa will be enlisted: head teachers at Grade 10, assistant teachers (general, science, and Arabic) at Grade 13, Qari or Noorani assistant teachers at Grade 16, and a newly created office assistant post at Grade 20. Recruitment for teachers will be based on NTRCA recommendations, while head teachers and office assistants will be appointed through managing committees, as outlined in the policy.
Regarding amendments to the manpower structure and MPO policy for non-government madrasas, Dr. Islam noted, “The revised policy has been sent to the Chief Adviser and will go to the Finance Ministry for approval. Once approved, we will enlist new madrasas. Priority will be given to institutions recognized before 2006 but denied MPO due to discriminatory practices by the previous government. We aim to achieve this within this fiscal year, as no new institutions have been enlisted since 2022.”
The application process for MPO enlistment was fully digital, conducted via the ministry’s websites (tmed.gov.bd, dme.gov.bd, banbeis.gov.bd) from July 8 to 15, 2025, ensuring transparency. The policy also allows for new Ebtedayee madrasa establishments, specifying requirements for student numbers, pass rates, land, fees, and infrastructure.
