Education Minister Dr. ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon addressed the annual general meeting and reception program of the IIUM Alumni Bangladesh Chapter at a hotel in the capital this evening. Photo: PID

DHAKA, May 9, 2026 (BSS) - Education Minister Dr. ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon today said the government has undertaken major initiatives to bring significant reforms to the country's education sector through a new curriculum and extensive improvements in teacher training.

"The government is working on formulating a new curriculum and carrying out comprehensive reforms in the teacher training system to modernize education," he told the annual general meeting and reception programme of IIUM Alumni Bangladesh Chapter at a hotel in the capital this evening.

The Education Minister said Bangladesh's education system must be brought to international standards to meet future challenges. "To modernize the country's education system, we are planning to follow various education models of Malaysia, China and the United States," he added.

The minister stressed the need to transform the country's huge young population into skilled human resources. "Bangladesh is one of the most populous countries in the world and our greatest asset is human resources. We must develop our young generation into a skilled workforce," he said.

Dr Milon said the government is considering increasing allocation for the education sector to five percent of the GDP. 

Highlighting the issue of brain drain, he said many talented Bangladeshis are going abroad for higher studies, but a large number of them are not returning home. "Now we need reverse brain drain instead of brain drain," he said.

The minister expressed hope that Bangladeshis receiving higher education abroad would contribute significantly to the development of the country's education sector.

Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Mohd Shuhada Othman, Maldives High Commissioner to Bangladesh Shiuneen Rasheed, Lawmaker Shamim Qaiser Lincoln and Lawmaker Atikur Rahman Mujahid addressed the programme as special guests at the event, chaired by Professor Dr Kazi Shahadat Kabir.

Among others, Dr Faizul Haque, Dr Shamim Hamidi and S M Mostafa Al Mamun also spoke at the event.

A new executive committee of IIUM Alumni Bangladesh Chapter was also formed at the programme.

By consensus of the members present, a 19-member executive committee for the 2026-2028 term was announced with Dr Muhammad Abdul Aziz as president and Dr M Tuhin Mia as general secretary.

At the same time, a seven-member advisory council was formed with Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon as one of its members.