Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon spoke as the chief guest at a meeting for exchanging views with the secretaries of four education boards. Photo: PID

DHAKA, June 24, 2026 (BSS) - Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon today said initiatives would be taken to clear the outstanding retirement allowances of retired non-government teachers and employees, which have remained unpaid since 2022, within the next two years.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at an exchange of views meeting with centre secretaries of four education boards held this morning over the upcoming HSC and equivalent examinations-2026.

The meeting was taken place at the auditorium of Azimpur Girls School and College in the capital.

With Dhaka Education Board Chairman Professor Syed Md Akhtaruzzaman in the chair, the meeting was attended, among others, by Dhaka-7 constituency lawmaker Hamidur Rahman as special guest.

Referring to various crises and reforms in the education sector and highlighting the plight of retired teachers, the minister said, "Those who retired since 2022 have not received a single penny of their retirement allowance so far. A teacher usually receives between Tk 25 lakh to Tk 35 lakh after retirement.” 

He said “During the tenure of the previous government, nearly Tk 7,000 crore was embezzled from this fund. As a result, thousands of retired teachers are spending final years of their lives amid extreme uncertainty."

Expressing his commitment to restoring this legitimate right of teachers, Milon said: “Immediately after assuming office, I took initiatives to address this humanitarian crisis. An additional Tk 200 crore has been allocated for this sector in the budget.” 

“Besides, I have secured a special bond for this sector. Distribution of these allowances among retired teachers will begin from the middle of next July,” he said, adding, “All dues of teachers will be cleared within the next two years and this backlog will be resolved."

The minister said, “Due to a single case pending in court, we could not appoint 32,500 head teachers. In the meantime, another 17,000 teachers have retired. More than 60,000 primary schools are without head teachers.” 

“Why did previous governments fail to solve this problem? The education system was held hostage through litigation,” he said, referring that a university in South Africa has an inscription that says a nation does not need a nuclear bomb to be destroyed rather destroying its education system is enough to destroy that nation. 

He said the previous Awami League government had systematically pushed the country's education system towards destruction. However, in the new Bangladesh, no corruption or politics involving education would be tolerated.

Emphasising improvement of teachers' living standards, the minister said, "Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman had created a specific framework of state facilities for teachers. We want talented teachers to remain in this profession. 

Therefore, the government will also take positive steps so that other benefits for non-government teachers are gradually increased in line with the government pay scale."

He mentioned that the education budget during the tenure of the previous government was only 1.39 percent of GDP, amounting to Tk 87,000 crore. Under the current new leadership, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has announced plans to raise the education budget to 5 percent of GDP.

Ehsanul Hoque Milon said, "We have to build the capacity to absorb a huge budget all of a sudden. Even then, this time we have received a budget of Tk 136,000 crore. This budget will be used for teacher training, mid-day meals and the development of technical education."

He also said that books prepared under the revised new curriculum would be completed and distributed to students by December 2027.

Addressing education officials at the primary and secondary levels, the minister said shoes, socks, bags and uniforms would be provided to primary school children so that they could learn in a joyful environment. 

Teachers are being provided with tablets and smart classrooms. However, whether officials are properly monitoring classes will also be supervised through digital technology. No one will be spared for negligence of duty, he added.

Chairmen of the Dhaka, Mymensingh, Madrasa and Technical Education Boards, officials concerned with the examinations, and district and upazila education officers were present at the meeting.