Qawmi madrasas want UGC-like regulatory body

Leaders of the Qawmi Madrasa Sanad Swikriti Bastabayan Parishad yesterday demanded that the government form a regulatory body similar to the University Grants Commission (UGC) to supervise Qawmi madrasas across the country.

“We urge the government to permit the formation of a regulatory body like the UGC. This body would approve and control Qawmi madrasas to recognise the certificates of Dawra-e-Hadith,” said Yahya Mahmud, member secretary of the committee.
The demands came up at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) yesterday. 
Mahmud said they have a draft for the formation of a UGC-like body for Qawmi madrasas and they would hold a meeting with the government soon in this regard. He added that the office of the regulatory body is likely to be set up in Dhaka’s Arambag.

Mahmud brushed off questions about the recognition of the Dawra-e-Hadith certificate, which is equivalent to a master’s degree, in Islamic Studies and Arabic without a preceding degree like an SSC, HSC or a bachelor’s degree. “Recognising such certificates is nothing new,” he claimed. 
He admitted that Qawmi education was not recognised as equivalent to master’s degree during Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s tenure. But Bangabandhu did give status to this form of education, he claimed.
“A Qawmi university is necessary to make this kind of education acceptable at the international level. Different degrees, including a PhD, would be conferred upon Qawmi students based on their knowledge of the Quran and the Hadith,” he added.
Mahmud clarified that they would not get any financial support from the government to promote Qawmi education. Rather, they would carry out their activities with grants from home and abroad. He thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the recognition of their certificates.
But the Parishad members also urged the government to give a legal basis to its circular, pointing out that the equivalence of the certificates has been recognised on the basis of the basic principles of the Darul Ulum Deobandh of India while maintaining the separate characteristics of the Qawmi madrasas.
Another leader of the committee, Abdul Ali Faridi, stated that the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and leftist parties are spreading propaganda about Qawmi education, but they themselves are rotten.
The leaders also thanked the Prime Minister for her decision on the Greek sculpture on the Supreme Court premises and urged the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to make clear its position in this regard.

Qawmi madrasas want UGC-like regulatory body

Leaders of the Qawmi Madrasa Sanad Swikriti Bastabayan Parishad yesterday demanded that the government form a regulatory body similar to the University Grants Commission (UGC) to supervise Qawmi madrasas across the country. We urge the government to permit the formation of a regulatory body like the UGC. This body would approve and control Qawmi madrasas to recognise the certificates of Dawra-e-Hadith, said Yahya Mahmud, member secretary of the committee. The demands came up at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) yesterday. Mahmud said they have a draft for the formation of a UGC-like body for Qawmimadrasas and they would hold a meeting with the government soon in this regard. He added that the office of the regulatory body is likely to be set up in Dhakas Arambag. Mahmud brushed off questions about the recognition of the Dawra-e-Hadith certificate, which is equivalent to a masters degree, in Islamic Studies and Arabic without a preceding degree like an SSC, HSC or a bachelors degree. Recognising such certificates is nothing new, he claimed. He admitted that Qawmi education was not recognised as equivalent to masters degree during Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans tenure. But Bangabandhu did give status to this form of education, he claimed. A Qawmi university is necessary to make this kind of education acceptable at the international level. Different degrees, including a PhD, would be conferred upon Qawmi students based on their knowledge of the Quran and the Hadith, he added. Mahmud clarified that they would not get any financial support from the government to promote Qawmi education. Rather, they would carry out their activities with grants from home and abroad. He thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the recognition of their certificates. But the Parishad members also urged the government to give a legal basis to its circular, pointing out that the equivalence of the certificates has been recognised on the basis of the basic principles of the Darul Ulum Deobandh of India while maintaining the separate characteristics of the Qawmi madrasas. Another leader of the committee, Abdul Ali Faridi, stated that the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and leftist parties are spreading propaganda about Qawmi education, but they themselves are rotten. The leaders also thanked the Prime Minister for her decision on the Greek sculpture on the Supreme Court premises and urged the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to make clear its position in this regard.