Several socio-cultural organisations on Wednesday joined the continued protest at the government鈥檚 decision to cancel the positions of music and physical training teachers in government primary schools, following criticisms from Islamist groups.
In a notification issued on Sunday, the government scrapped the positions by amending the Government Primary School Teacher Recruitment Rules 2025 that created two assistant teacher posts鈥攐ne for music and another for physical training.
The interim government created the two posts through a notification on August 28 this year.
The notification triggered outcry among several Islamist parties and groups, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Andolan Bangladesh, who demanded replacing music teachers in primary schools with teachers for religious instruction.
Socio-cultural organisations on Wednesday urged the government to immediately withdraw the Sunday notification and reinstate the earlier one.
In a statement, Ain o Salish Kendra termed the decision an 鈥榰nfortunate and regressive step鈥� that undermined efforts to improve education quality and foster human values.
Earlier, in a statement on Tuesday, the government said that the plan to recruit music and physical training teachers in about 2,500 clusters was scrapped following a recommendation from the Secretary Committee, which cited 鈥榩lanning flaws and potential inequality鈥� in the initiative.
The government statement added that the creation of such posts in all schools and subsequent recruitment might be considered in the future, subject to funding availability.
ASK, however, said that the decision appeared to be driven more by political pressure than by practical planning considerations.聽
At Jahangirnagar University, a group of students organised a 鈥榮ong procession鈥� protesting against the government move.
鈥楾he cancellation of music and physical training teacher posts, suspension of theatre festivals, attacks on temples and attempts to rename the Mangal Shobhajatra are all assaults on our cultural coexistence,鈥� said Durbar Adi, a second-year archaeology student.
Another student, Adrita Roy, said that the interim government had time and time again failed to curb rising extremism and mob violence.
鈥業nstead of safeguarding constitutional rights, they are emboldening reactionary forces,鈥� she said.
Socialist Students鈥� Front and Bibortan Sangskritik Kendra also issued separate statements condemning the government鈥檚 decision.