PM Tarique Rahman Pledges Support for Mathematics Education, Olympiad Activities

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has pledged government support to expand mathematics education and Olympiad activities across Bangladesh, including funding school-level programmes and introducing activity-based mathematics in schools.

He made the pledge on Thursday when Bangladeshi medal winners from the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) and European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) paid a courtesy call on him at his office at the Cabinet Division of the Secretariat.

Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Shadhin said the medal-winning students exchanged greetings with Tarique Rahman and shared their experiences and achievements in international mathematics competitions. The prime minister congratulated the students and wished them greater success in the future.

Representatives of the Bangladesh Girls’ Mathematical Foundation (BGMF) sought government support to expand mathematics Olympiad activities at the grassroots level. Tarique Rahman assured them of all necessary assistance to expand the initiative. When representatives proposed establishing a fund to organise and expand school-level mathematics Olympiad activities, the prime minister immediately agreed to provide funding through the Ministry of Education.

The Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad Committee (BdMO) also proposed introducing activity-based mathematics at the school level. Tarique Rahman agreed to the proposal. Another proposal called for introducing a separate mathematics competency assessment test for school teachers, similar to the IELTS examination used to assess English-language proficiency. The prime minister assured the delegation that the proposal would be considered with due importance.

Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Education and Primary and Mass Education and Prime Minister’s Office Spokesperson Mahdi Amin, IMO National Coach Mahbubul Alam Majumdar, BGMF Chair Professor Sadia Hamid Kazi and BdMO member Md Abdul Hakim Khan were present at the meeting. Among the medal winners present was Monami Zaman of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, who won bronze medals at both the IMO and EGMO. Md Raihan Siddiqui of Chattogram College is an IMO silver medalist.

Jawad Hamim Chowdhury of Dhaka Imperial College, Mohammad Marzuk Rahman of Cantonment English School and College, Tahsin Khan of Ananda Mohan College and M. Jamiul Hossain of RAJUK Uttara Model School and College are IMO bronze medalists. Saji Sehnai of RAJUK Uttara Model School and College, who was also present, is an EGMO bronze medalist.