Desk Report,
‘Society and the state will move forward only if teachers are respected’
An ideal teacher with moral values is essential for a state. Without the dignity of teachers, a state can never recover, the education system collapses. Teachers are the beacons of society. Only when they are respected will society and the state move forward. For this, a teacher-friendly government is needed. Because only a teacher can create an enlightened society and state.
‘Society and the state will move forward only if teachers are respected’
Assistant Professor of RP Saha University Md. Asaduzzaman said this at a gathering organized on the occasion of the ‘IPDC-Prothom Alo Priyo Shiksha Sammanana 2025’ in Narayanganj. This gathering was organized at the Ali Ahmed Chunka Nagar Library Auditorium in the city on Saturday afternoon. Teachers-students of various schools and colleges of Narayanganj, poets-literate people, writers, journalists and leaders of various social and political organizations participated in the program.
At the beginning of the program, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of those who died in the warplane crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara, the capital. Later, the program began with the performance of the national anthem. Two videos titled ‘Akhtar Sir’ and ‘Majumdar Sir’ were shown in the assembly. Everyone present became emotional after watching the video of respect for teachers.
Anwar Hossain, Principal of Narayanganj Ideal School, said that although talented people go to various professions including administration cadre, doctors, engineers, no one wants to come into the teaching profession. This is because of the financial hardship of teachers. If talented people do not come forward, it will not be possible to build a developed nation. Therefore, talented people must come forward in the teaching profession.
Saira Khanam, Principal of Nabiganj Girls School and College, said that she came into the teaching profession after seeing a primary school teacher in her childhood. A teacher is the idol of the class. The students of the class follow him.
Humayun Reza Mortuza, Head of Retail Business of Personnel Loans at IPDC Finance, said that IPDC has come up with a loan scheme named Pragya thinking about teachers. Through this, they are giving loans to teachers to build houses or buy cars to fulfill their dreams. IPDC always wants to be by their side.
Narayanganj cultural personality Rafiur Rabbi said in his speech, ‘We have a lot of disappointment and shame about teachers. But the fact that teacher Maherin Chowdhury saved the lives of 20 students with her own life in the Milestone School plane crash gives us hope. There are many such teachers scattered among us, we may not know about them. Our schools and educational institutions survive because of them.’
Thanking IPDC-Prothom Alo for taking the initiative to honor teachers, Narayanganj Press Club General Secretary Afzal Hossain said, the government must take the initiative to solve the teachers’ crisis. A developed nation will be built with the contribution of teachers.
Finally, Prothom Alo’s Head of Deep News Rajib Ahmed gave his speech in thanks. He said, ‘There is no initiative to honor teachers at the state or institutional level. With that idea in mind, the fifth edition of the Dear Teachers Award Ceremony has been organized by IPDC and Prothom Alo. If you nominate the names of your dear teachers, they will be selected from all over the country and honored.’
Prothom Alo’s Narayanganj representative Mojibul Haque delivered the welcome speech at the gathering moderated by Prothom Alo Bandhushab’s Narayanganj General Secretary Moun Lucky. Among others, National University Assistant Professor Tanvir Hasan, Narayanganj Government Girls’ High School Senior Teacher Majeda Akhter, Narayanganj Citizens’ Committee President AB Siddique, Narayanganj Cultural Alliance former President Bhabani Shankar Roy, General Secretary Dhiman Saha, Communist Party Narayanganj District President Hafizul Islam, General Secretary Shibnath Chakraborty, etc. also spoke at the event.
Among others, IPDC’s Narayanganj branch acting manager Nahidur Rahman, Bailey School headmaster Manjurul Haque, Narayanganj Girls School and College principal Nilufa Yasmin, Bandar Bibi Jora Primary School headmaster Bijoy Karmakar, Prothom Alo Bandhushaba Narayanganj president Nayan Ahmed, former president Sabbir Al Fahad, Ujjwal Uchhas and others were present at the event. The members of Narayanganj Bandhushaba provided overall support for the event. Artists from Anandadhara Cultural Society performed the national anthem and patriotic songs at the event.
The Dear Teacher Award was given since 2019. This award will be given for the fifth time next October. The organizers said that the ‘IPDC-Prothom Alo Dear Teacher Award 2025’ has been started for the fifth time as a joint initiative of IPDC Finance PLC and Prothom Alo to honor teachers. Interested persons can nominate online (www.priyoshikkhok.com) through this website. This year, a total of seven teachers from two categories, primary and secondary, will be given the ‘Dear Teacher Award 2025’. To be eligible for this award, a teacher must be at least 40 years of age. Both working and retired teachers are eligible for nomination. Both the nominator and the teacher must be citizens of Bangladesh and one person can nominate a maximum of three teachers.
