Photo: PID

MAGURA, May 16, 2026 (BSS)- Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury has said the government has started working from the grassroots level to improve the living standard of marginal people.

He said destroying a nation begins with destroying its education system, historical consciousness, culture, and moral foundation.

“The previous ruling party had carried out such destructive efforts in a planned way. They transformed education into a tool of political loyalty instead of maintaining merit-based standards, distorted history, and attempted to mislead future generations,” he said.

The minister made the remarks while addressing a civic reception and public gathering as the chief guest at Nazir Ahmed College premises here today.

“The present government’s key commitment is to free the nation from that discriminatory, anti-merit and conspiratorial education system,” the minister said adding that no state could achieve sustainable development if its education system becomes weak. 

The cultural minister said any aggressive force intending to weaken a nation first attacks its intellectual practices, educational institutions, libraries, and culture.

“Unfortunately, such destructive tendencies continued in our country for a long time. Decay had spread across education, the electoral system, economy, and constitutional institutions,” he said.

Highlighting the government’s reform initiatives, the minister said the current government has started rebuilding a new Bangladesh standing on the ruins. Within just three months, effective measures have been taken to restore administrative discipline, economic stability, and qualitative changes in the education sector, he said.

He said the government will sincerely work to improve teachers’ living standards. At the same time, teachers must pay greater attention to intellectual pursuits, perform their duties responsibly, and play a leading role in building students as morally upright citizens, he said.

“With proper opportunities and leadership, students from rural and remote regions can also emerge as world-class talents,” he added.

Speaking about agriculture and the rural economy, the culture minister said, “The soul of Bangladesh lies in villages, and the soul of villages lies in agriculture. An agriculture-based society can never be destroyed.”

“Despite global crises, it is the farmers who have kept the country’s economy running. That is why our government has started its work from villages,” he added.

He said the government is implementing various public welfare programs, including rural development projects, canal excavation, and distribution of agriculture and health cards.

He also urged wealthy citizens and expatriates to come forward for the development of their respective localities.

District administration officials, local public representatives, political, social and cultural personalities were also present.