Rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra on Wednesday decried the recent demand for the cancellation of the government circular to recruit music teachers in primary schools, calling it ill-motivated, misleading and a threat to cultural rights.
In a statement, signed by the organisation鈥檚 senior coordinator Abu Ahmed Faizul Kabir, it said that the call to scrap music teacher recruitment was not only unconstitutional, but also a deliberate attempt to spread division and hostility in society.
鈥楾he Constitution of Bangladesh grants every citizen the right to practise their own culture and participate in arts and literature,鈥� read the statement, adding that music and art had been inseparable part of the country鈥檚 Language Movement, the War of Independence, social movements and all democratic struggles.
ASK emphasised that music education must not be seen merely from an entertainment point of view, rather it played a vital role in children鈥檚 mental development, moral education, creativity, and tolerance.
鈥楶reserving and promoting this tradition is a constitutional duty of the state and essential for social harmony,鈥� the rights body added.
The organisation expressed concern that certain groups were intentionally trying to politicise and undermine cultural practices in the name of opposing music teacher recruitment.
鈥楽uch efforts are not only unreasonable, but also risky in creating a one-sided society, with far-reaching negative consequences for national unity and cultural foundations,鈥� ASK warned.
While acknowledging that there could be discussions about the necessity of religious teachers in schools, ASK maintained that such demands should be addressed separately through appropriate policy measures.
Under no circumstances, obstructing cultural practices or cancelling music teacher recruitment for appointing religious teachers was acceptable, the statement stressed.
ASK concluded by saying that any attempt to restrict cultural education in schools would not only hinder the growth of cultural diversity but also damage the principles of social harmony and pluralism.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Andolan Bangladesh recently opposed a government circular to recruit music teachers in primary schools.
