1,519 grant-aided Ebtedayee madrasas to be included in MPO

A total of 1,519 independent Ebtedayee madrasas currently receiving grant support are set to be included under the government’s Monthly Pay Order (MPO) system, subject to meeting specific eligibility criteria.

The government has issued a public notice inviting applications for inclusion in the MPO, contingent upon compliance with guidelines for establishing independent Ebtedayee madrasas and adherence to teaching recognition, administrative, staffing, and other conditions outlined in the MPO Policy 2025.

The notification, signed on June 26 by Md. Abdul Hannan, Deputy Secretary of the MPO Section under the Technical and Madrasa Education Division of the Ministry of Education, stated that online applications will be accepted from July 3 to July 10.

Applicants can apply through the “Online Ebtedayee MPO Application” link available on the websites of the Technical and Madrasa Education Division (www.tmed.gov.bd), Directorate of Madrasa Education (www.dme.gov.bd), and the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS) (www.banbeis.gov.bd). Applications sent directly by email, letter, or to any office of the division will not be accepted.

All MPO registration procedures will be conducted digitally. A list of eligible madrasas will be compiled based on the criteria set forth in the 2025 MPO policy.

According to Ministry of Education sources, the government officially released the 2025 MPO policy document on June 25 to regulate the operation of independent Ebtedayee madrasas. Previously, a 2018 policy outlined manpower and salary structures, but teachers did not receive the intended benefits.

Under the new policy, once registered in the MPO, teachers will receive government salary shares. Currently, Ebtedayee madrasa heads receive a monthly grant of Tk 3,500, and assistant teachers receive Tk 3,300.

In response to ongoing teachers’ protests, the Ministry announced on January 28 plans to phase these madrasas into the MPO and gradually bring them under nationalization.

On March 5, the government approved the registration of 1,519 Ebtedayee madrasas with Educational Institution Identification Numbers (EIINs).

Historical records show that in 1984, the government registered 18,189 independent Ebtedayee madrasas alongside private primary schools. In 1994, 1,519 of these madrasas were granted Tk 500 each, similar to primary schools that were later nationalized, and they have continued to receive these modest grants.

Md. Saiful Islam, Additional Secretary (Madrasa) at the Technical and Madrasa Education Division, said that the MPO policy is now adopted and registration notices issued.

After inclusion, Ebtedayee teachers will receive salaries and allowances from the government, akin to those in private schools and colleges, he added.