Jasmine Revolution sparked unrest in the Arab Countries

Jasmine Revolution sparked unrest in the Arab Countries

Three key Arab countries have witnessed mass upsurge. It originated from Mohamed Bouazizi, a street vendor who set himself on fire after police had confiscated his vegetable cart. This incident provided the immediate impetus for protests in Tunisia. President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s regime in Tunisia had a long-standing reputation as corrupt and abusive. Ben Ali was reelected with a dubious 90 percent of the vote in 2009, and after a long history of governmental mistreatment. The mass uproar led the president to flee the country following the formation of an interim government which now promises the people that all political parties would now be allowed to operate in Tunisia, political prisoners would be freed and the media would be permitted ‘ total freedom’. They have also decided to free all the people imprisoned for their ideas, their beliefs or for having expressed dissenting opinions. A number of Egyptians have actually imitated Bouazizi’s macabre show of defiance. Egyptians marching through the streets of Cairo proudly brandished Tunisian flags, and their counterparts in Yemen are wearing pink bandannas as a show of solidarity with the people of Tunisia. After mass protests erupted in Egypt and Yemen this week, speculation mounted over whether the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia sparked the unrest. Observers in the media are quick to point out similarities between all three uprisings. The correlation is obvious -- protesters in all three countries have cried out against poverty and demanded the abdication of their rulers. However, claiming that the chaos in Tunisia caused the calls for democracy in Egypt and Yemen may be overstating matters. The similarities between the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen are compelling. There are also notable differences. The spark behind the outbreak of unrest was food prices and unemployment; however this channeled long-standing discontent about the rule of former President Ben Ali, his tight control over the political system and his and his family's control over the Tunisian economy. It is a common trend in Arab politics that the most volatile outbreaks of unrest come when there lies a conjunction between a closed political system, economic downturn, an aging president and a large young population.

Egypt faces a similar challenge to Tunisia in terms of the timing of events. The outbreak of unrest in Tunisia has certainly provided a spark, however, there has been simmering unrest in Egypt for many years, and particularly so after the much-criticized Presidential elections last year. In Egypt, however, the problems are a bit more overtly 'political'. By this, Egypt's economy has been struggling for many years, so the catalyst for events here has not so much been food prices, unemployment or housing shortages but the increasingly heavy-handed tactics of the Mubarak regime and the efforts by the President to smooth the way for his son, Gamal, to succeed him in the coming years. As mentioned above, it is the conjunction of events. The two most important ones here are economic marginalisation and the so-called 'youth bulge'. Outside Tunisia and Egypt, Algeria and Jordan are experiencing similar trends where the economic marginalisation of young people is driving unrest. Unemployment, housing shortages and food prices hit this group the hardest. As the long-standing social contract in the region of less political representation in exchange for state services has collapsed, the most vulnerable Arab states are susceptible to this sort of unrest.
The world sees that the Arab world is home to very resilient authoritarian regimes. They have relied in part on direct oppression, in part on externalizing enemies and in part on this social contract of less political representation in exchange for state services. Where other parts of the world have seen greater political liberalization, this has not happened in the Arab world.
In addition, this region has one of the highest young populations of any region, therefore is susceptible to political unrest when the economy stagnates in the key areas of employment, food prices and housing. Neither country is a democracy in anything more than name. They have both had tightly controlled political systems, with elections serving to deflect attention away from the direct and indirect means. The political elites use to maintain their grip on both the political and economic systems. The protests are therefore in part a call for greater democratic rights, but represent the breakdown of the system that allowed these regimes to maintain such rule for decades. Calling for democratic reform is more a call for accountability for those who have sold the necessity of their rule in exchange for a measure of economic stability.
However, this is not to say that should a regime bring about economic stability again, people in Tunis, Cairo and elsewhere would not continue to pressure for greater political representation. One has opened the door for the other, and it is likely that a new political arrangement will emerge, one that is more politically open but inherently less stable
A good analogy here is Algeria in 1988. Similar riots broke out over the pricing of food, leading to a collapse of the single-party government and the opening of the political system. The Islamists were not behind the initial unrest but were able to take advantage of this in harnessing the unrest and running a very successful election campaign as the face of the disenfranchised.
This, however, led to an army coup in 1992, cancelling the electoral process and the outbreak of a civil war between the government and Islamists that claimed over 200,000 lives by its end in 2000.A similar trend in terms of the Islamists seeking to harness the discontent may happen elsewhere, but it is doubted that the subsequent events that unfolded in Algeria will happen in Tunisia. The key exception here is Egypt. With the Muslim Brotherhood as the established central opposition movement, the political and military elite in Egypt will not be reticent to use direct repression should they fear the Muslim Brotherhood being able to harness their potential power.

Most importantly, it represents what is seen as the first signs of real change to the failing autocratic system of rule that has dominated the region. This need not necessarily be a fully positive outcome, with greater uncertainty and chaos for ordinary civilians in the context of greater political freedoms. However, it may signal the death throes of Cold War-style authoritarianism in the Arab World, and that is a good thing
The Mubarak regime has maintained a state of emergency in this populous country since the assassination of Anwar Sadat in 1981. Since then, governmental abuses have spurred the people of Egypt to launch widespread demonstrations a number of times, though they were each eventually quelled. The brutal murder by police last summer of Khaled Said provided the impetus for the most recent surge in anti-government sentiment.The Yemeni government likewise has a poor record in the area of accountability. The government most recently drew the ire of opposition with a proposed constitutional amendment that would eliminate presidential term limits, and through its refusal to postpone parliamentary elections in April. It has also been ineffective in promoting economic development.
The Tunisian military never demonstrated support for President Ben Ali, who fled the country in the wake of mass protests. Since then, two different interim governments have been established. More opposition leaders have been included in the newest administration, but the moves fall short of demands by protesters for a fresh take as several members from the Ben Ali regime remain in top posts. Now the government is offering some packages to the protesters to quell them.
Gamal Mubarak, the Egyptian president’s son and heir apparent, reportedly fled for Britain with his family, the government otherwise shows few signs of imminent collapse. Police have clamped down on demonstrations, and lingering unrest has been sporadic and scattered. Egypt is a key strategic ally for the United States, and Obama’s press secretary Robert Gibbs called the country a " close and important partner " A governmental collapse there could be problematic for U.S. foreign policy. So, they are working very and putting comments very cautiously.
The Yemeni government’s authority outside the capital is nominal at best. It has struggled to counter insurgencies in both northern and southern regions, while al-Qaida continues to stage attacks on Westerners. However, revolution may not be in the cards just yet. President Ali Abdullah Saleh responded to unrest by raising army salaries and ordering the reduction of income taxes. Yemen’s interior minister claims that police have been instructed to protect protesters. Police presence is limited and the protests are largely violence free, and the Christian Science Monitor reports that a regime ouster is unlikely: Rather, Yemen's coalition of opposition parties seeks to tap the post-Tunisia revolution energy in Yemen to pressure the ruling party to make reforms that they had sought months before the Tunisian uprising began. The U.S. would greatly prefer a stable Yemeni government as it struggles to keep al-Qaida neutralized in the region.
Democracy evolved over many centuries in Britain and the rest of Europe and was given a kick along by the Industrial Revolution and two world wars. Generally speaking, the Arab countries are still getting over the colonising influence and interference of European powers, not to mention the imposition of Israel in their midst. This recent history, coupled with the problem of religious fundamentalism, suggests their societies have some way to go. Arab nations have sparked it up, other nations under similar bondage will soon join the revolt. World's undemocratic leaders must certainly be wiped out.



Md. Masum Billah
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com

Energy and manpower talk figured in Abu Dhabi

Energy and manpower talk figured in Abu Dhabi
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came back to the country yesterday (January 19) after her four-day visit to United Arab Emirates. She participated in the fourth World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi which retains much importance for several reasons. On each day of the summit, international policymakers, business leaders, innovators and financiers discussed the issues that matter most to the delegates from sectors such as solar, wind, energy efficiency, biofuels, geothermal and hydropower. The fourth World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi was the world's largest conference and exhibition on renewable and future energy solutions, innovations, investments, policy and vision. It was held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center and was participated in by more than 25,000 participants from around the world. The summit focused on the theme: Enabling Future Energy Solutions. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also addressed the Heads of State and international delegates at the summit. Actually it is a forum to promote collaboration, innovation and investment opportunities in renewable energy, environment and clean technology.
Bangladesh is one of the most affected countries due to the adverse effects of the climate change, although the developing countries like that of ours are not responsible for it," Sheikh Hasina said her government has taken various programs involving $ 100 million to face the adverse affects of climate change. The programs include capital and maintenance dredging of the country's rivers, forestation, raising green belts in the coastal areas and ensuring food security. It attaches huge importance to Bangladesh . Bangladeshi Prime Minister raised the issue of climate change , necessary steps and raising a common fund in various national and international forums. This time also she did the same. Sheikh Hasina also visited Russia to attend a conference on how to protect the Royal Bengal Tigers of the Sundarbans. She used the tour as an opportunity to discuss Russian help in setting up nuclear energy-based power plant. Bangladesh did well to project its vulnerability to the climate change due to global warming. At all international conferences, including the ones in Copenhagen and Cancun, Bangladesh strongly put its case as a climate change victim; highlighting the people's plight and impediments it posed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. In response to Hasina's appeal for the transfer of green technology and new money from the Global Climate Change Fund to enhance the country's adaptive capabilities, developed economies agreed to assist Bangladesh by providing financial and technological assistance. In one way it bears the testimony of success though money has not yet reached Bangladesh.


She urged the United Arab Emirates' government to recruit more manpower from Bangladesh side by side investing in the power and energy sectors of the country. She made the call while holding a meeting with the UAE Vice-President, Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the VIP lounge of the Dubai international Airport. The Bangladesh premier visited Dubai on an invitation of her UAE counterpart during her stay there on way to Rome to attend the World Summit on Food Security beginning today in the Italian capital. The UAE PM gave assurance to Hasina of his all-out support to the development of Bangladesh including recruitment of more manpower and investing in the power and energy sectors of Bangladesh. During the meeting, issues related to food security, climate change, river dredging, collecting dredgers, health service, development of Chittagong seaport, expansion of trade between Bangladesh and UAE got importance. Sheikh Hasina apprised the UAE premier of the present Bangladesh government's various initiatives in developing power and energy sectors and expressed her firm hope that the UAE would assist Bangladesh. In reply, the UAE ruler assured the Bangladesh premier of providing necessary supports in this regard. While requesting to recruit more manpower from Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina informed the UAE premier that the Bangladesh government has taken initiative to provide sector wise training to the labourers before sending them abroad
Standing on the unprecedented success of the 2010 edition, the four-day Summit program for 2011 was structured around four key themes for the renewable energy industry: policy, business, technology and finance. Hot topics under discussion included building green cities, e-mobility, transforming policy into business opportunities, overcoming the challenges of energy storage and financing future energy projects. WFES 2011 has been designed to be even more flexible than previous years, with delegates able to either attend the whole four-day summit or to choose to attend certain days that are themed around their specific area of interest. Heads of State and Energy Ministers from developed and developing nations discussed the global challenges facing policymakers as they seek to boost energy infrastructure, fuel economic growth, meet environmental goals and provide a sustainable future for their countries.

Sheikh Hasina seized another opportunity in her four-day state visit to Abu Dhabi. Manpower export and trade and investment figured prominently in her talks with the UAE leaders.
She also talked to enhance economic relations between Bangladesh and the UAE a- on promotion and protection of investment, and on avoidance of double taxation.
She held meetings with UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE vice-president, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and other high level leaders and ministers. We need to expand market for Bangladeshi workers in the oil-rich gulf state, UAE As per an official estimate, some 356,102 Bangladeshi workers went to different countries of the world from January to November 30, 2010. Of them, 186,127 skilled and semi-skilled workers went to the UAE. According to the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET), some 32,363 Bangladeshi workers went to the UAE in October while the number was 31,835 in November. The figure shows how much importance manpower market we have in the UAE. Recently this potential market has experienced a setback due to various reasons which need to be addressed pragmatically. Considering this perspective, Bangladesh Prime Minister’s visit can be labeled as doubly important.

Md. Masum Billah
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com

Bhutanese Prime Minister’s Bangladesh visit

Bhutanese Prime Minister’s Bangladesh visit

Prime Minister of Bhutan L.J.Y Thinley paid a four-day state visit to Bangladesh with his twenty-three entourage with a view to further strengthening the economic and political ties as top of his agenda along with developing diplomatic and commercial relations and finding out further scope of cooperation between the two poverty stricken nations. One of the most important aspects of his recent visit has given us food for thought which was his lecture delivered on Gross National Happiness at the University of Dhaka where he described people in today's world as "economic animals" and characterized development activities as tools for materialistic growth. He said that societies were doing little to make people happy. Very important point he touched which makes huge scope for all of us to ponder and give serious attention. The study of happiness and its use as an index to measure human welfare goes back in history. Adam Smith, an English economist of the eighteenth century and Jeremy Benjamin, a philosopher, had seriously studied happiness as an economic phenomenon. But with the introduction of quantitative methods in economics, happiness fell out of fashion and utility became synonymous with income. He focused on the Easterlin Paradox reflecting the present trend of competition to earn materialistic gain which has become the index of happiness across the globe. A century passed before Richard Easterlin, an American economist, revisited this relationship between happiness and income. He discovered a paradox -- average happiness level did not increase as countries got richer. There was also no clear relationship between average per capita GDP and average happiness level across countries, once such countries crossed a certain minimum level of per capita income. In 1972, the former Bhutanese King Jigme Singye Wangchuk, who opened his country to modernization, was determined to build an economy that would serve Bhutan's unique culture based on Buddhist spiritual values. He, therefore, introduced happiness of humans as the key indicator of growth.
After King Wangchuk, learned Bhutanese themselves developed a survey to measure the general level of wellbeing of the people. Other academics around the world then devised policy screening tools to measure potential impact of economic projects and programs on what Bhutanese call as Gross National Happiness (GNH). GNH has four pillars namely sustainable development, preservation of cultural values, conservation of the environment and establishment of good governance. GNH is also applicable across various cultures. Thus, it can be used equally in a Buddhist polity as well as in a Muslim society or in the Christian world. There are also eight contributors to happiness: physical, mental and spiritual health, time balance, community vitality, cultural vitality, education, living standards, good governance and ecological vitality.
We know Bhutan is a country with a unique history. The country was never conquered or colonised. The Bhutanese have, therefore, developed a culture free from outside influence. They cherish their institution of monarchy and have developed a deep sense of nationhood. So when they arrived in the modern world they already had an ancient culture strapped on to their backs. Their pristine environment is another element that always dominated their lives. They live among beautiful mountains which have protected them from the vagaries of nature and also from human depredations. Living in splendid isolation they became a happy people.

Although governments in many countries have been able to produce income and wealth for their people, this has not brought happiness to them. Therefore, the very basis of modern life and its principles are being challenged. Tony Blair, former British prime minister had once said: "Money isn't everything. Delivering the best possible quality of life for us all means more than concentrating solely on economic growth." David Cameron, the present British prime minister, had said: "We should be thinking not just what is good for putting money in people's pockets, but also what is good for putting joy in people's hearts." The idea that politics should be about creating the "greatest happiness of the greatest number" still holds good and deserves serious attention.
Bangladesh and Bhutan signed an agreement on cultural exchange and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) pertaining to cooperation in the health sector. In terms of the MOU on health cooperation, upwards of 90 medical specialists and physicians, would be recruited by Thimphu in three years. Exchange of cultural delegations on a regular basis would help strengthen people-to-people relationship. In this context, Thinley's endorsement of a proposal for package tourism among Bangladesh, Bhutan and other neighbouring countries under a single umbrella should be followed up on. Of particular significance is the joint resolve to expand bilateral trade from worth US$ 30 million now to US 100 million within next few years. Many tradable goods of complementary nature have been identified. An interesting trade-off between our winter vegetables and horticulture commodities and those being produced by Bhutan during its summer months with relatively high altitude will keep the markets of both countries saturated with vegetables round the year. It is a good proposal that Bangladeshi entrepreneurs would be encouraged to invest in Bhutan's IT, agro-processing, education, hospitality and construction sectors, opening a fresh window of opportunity for us.On two other particular points the understanding that has been forged between the two governments is of special import: first, the sharing of data between upper riparian Bhutan and lower riparian Bangladesh on the Brahmaputra river, especially pertaining to its frequent flooding; and cooperation in hydro-power sector following augmentation of capacity in Bhutan on a regional basis.
The hall-mark of historic ties between Bhutan and Bangladesh lay in the contributions of Atish Dipankar, a Buddhist scholar from Bikrampur to the spread of Buddhism and knowledge across the world between 980-1052 AD. It is upon such foundations that secular values of Bangladesh are based, we are happy to recall that. Relations between independent Bangladesh and Bhutan developed steadily since 1971. Bhutan recognized Bangladesh on 07 December 1971. In early 1973, formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were established. On 29 April 1973, the first Ambassador of Bhutan to Bangladesh presented his credentials to the then Bangladesh President. Of recent relations we can mention the Commerce Secretary’s visit to Bhutan during 12-15 August, 2008. Bhutanese Minister for Economic Affairs visited Bangladesh including Burimari land port on 27 Sep-5 October, 2009. Also, the Hon’ble State Minister for Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh visited Bhutan to attend a seminar on Democracy The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid her first South Asian bilateral visit to Bhutan from 6-9 November 2009. Besides, signing of a new bilateral trade agreement Bangladesh and Bhutan issued a joint statement reaffirming the excellent relations and expressing desire to further strengthening of close cooperation that exists between them. Our prime minister handed over life saving medicines for the victims of earthquake that hit Bhutan in September 2009.

Over the years Bangladesh and Bhutan has maintained significant cooperation in this important area. Bhutanese students have pursued higher education in Bangladesh particularly in Engineering and Medicine. With the coming up of many private universities of high standards Bhutanese students can pursue higher studies in wide array of subjects including their traditional interests in Medicine and Engineering in these institutions at their own cost.Recently, the number of scholarship in medicine for the Bhutanese students has been raised from 2 to 4. Accordingly, Bangladesh offers four seats every year to Bhutanese students to study medicine in the public medical colleges in Bangladesh. Besides these, the premier institute in its field, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) also offers few seats to Bhutanese students.Bangladesh offers every year one scholarship to Bhutanese Army for Staff Course in the Bangladesh Defence Services Command and Staff College. A great potential lies for mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of tourism between Bangladesh and Bhutan. One area could be joint ‘tour package programs’.Both countries may also strengthen and promote bilateral cooperation in the fields of science and technology in areas of mutual interests including agricultural and environmental sciences.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said “The extraordinary relation between Bangladesh and Bhutan now needs to be turned into truly meaningful ties for mutual benefits.” Really both the countries should work in close cooperation to harness our synergies on these and other areas for the welfare of our two nations As we both strive to reach our goals to make our nations hunger free, illiteracy free, free from disease , we want to see the valuable cooperation between us including regional connectivity to make our region a prosperous one. Great opportunities lie before us which we need to seize together.

Md. Masum Billah
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com

Textbook distribution

Textbook distribution ceremony and our education
The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina introduced the textbook distributing ceremony at Gonobhaban on 31 December 2010 handing over a set of books to one student of each class up to class nine under general, madrasa and technical education board. This festival will continue for seven days as some students might be absent on the first day. The Education Minister hoped that every student would get textbooks by this week. He said “ We have our buffer stock of primary and secondary books ready in case of any shortage. “ The government has aimed at distributing around 23.20 crore books to students of primary, secondary , ebtadai and vocational class of this academic year. Of them 10.45 crore copies are for primary students and 12.75 crore for secondary level. NCTB officials said around 99.07 percent of books are for secondary students and 98.78 percent of primary books had already reached the schools. The government this year for the first time took initiative to print over five crore copies of textbooks for class 1, 2 and 3 through international bidding. Of the books Indian printers got the contract for around 2.98 crore copies. It actually displeased the local publishers.
Our text books must be students friendly. Relevant colourful pictures will attract the learners. Our existing textbooks miserably failed to attract the learners neither the pictures nor the pages and prints and articulation is not good enough. These things call for serious government care. Free distribution of books does not have full merit for some reasons. First the price of text books board is not beyond the buying capacity of even the now income people. Secondly, textbooks don’t cover and satisfy the educational needs and full circle. Stundents must buy subsidiary and helping books published in the private sectors by different printing and publishing authorities. Their price is much higher than the textbooks. Guardians find it difficult to buy those books because of higher price. The price of one such book can cover the whole set of NCTB books but NCTB books don’t deal with the questions and problems critically to prepare the students for the tradiotanl and semi-traditional examinations. Necessarily students must depend on the privately published books which contain the necessary elements and exercises reflecting our almost traditional questions but they discourage our students to be creative enough. Teachers are also not well equipped to satisfy the needs of the students harping on the textbooks only. Hence, the books in the private sector are being printed and sold establishing itself as a thriving business.
Addressing the function, the prime minister directed the authorities concerned to introduce e-book system at the earliest possible time to ensure more availability of textbooks. She said book would facilitate all particularly the expatriate Bangladeshis’ who are keen to educate their children with the national textbook curriculum. She also underscored proper utilization of governments’ Workers Welfare Fund to set up schools in other countries where Bangladeshi expatriates live in large number. Undoubtedly the proposal retains much merit. The earlier it can be done, the better. She asked the education ministry to reduce school syllabus to ease pressure on the kids and also said “But the syllabus should include the history of 1971 Liberation War as well as glorious history and national culture and tradition. “ She urged the students not to rely on note books and instead concentrate more on textbooks. Prime Minister further said that the students would go to school with few books. There should be more books in the library. Students will read them in the library. These proposals also need to be taken into consideration as our students seem to be overburdened with their various kinds of books. Their learning can be hastened and developed through well organized and very student friendly environment in the institutions. Again, innovative question patterns will discourage the available note books and highly qualified and creative teachers must be identified to prepare questions giving salute to very traditional ones. Otherwise, only giving free textbooks does not have any value, to speak the truth.
Prime minister further said, “ Government is working to introduce free education up to graduate level for both male and female students in all government educational institutions. This declaration deserves appreciation in one sense but calls for further thinking as the students of government institution will enjoy free educational benefit who constitute only the two percent of whole student community. When free education will be offered to the students only in the government institutions it will invite further corruption in the education sector. Almost all the best educational institutional are run in the private sector and the number of better institutions prove scarce in comparison with the population. To get admission in these institutions mad competition prevails which calls for a better solution. Again, the cost of schooling in these institutions proves abnormal. The mad contest in the private sector occurs due to scarcity of seats and extremely poor quality education in the government schools and colleges compel many middle class guardians to send their wards to English Medium schools. This is another sector to trap the guardians into spending money for buying education abnormally. When the responsibilities of education rest on the state,,quite a good number of guardians are forced to send their wards to English medium schools. Tuition fees in government schools and colleges are already very low. Full exemption of fees will hardly put any influence on education particularly quality. It does not affect many guardians to pay Taka 20 as tuition fees. These fees in non-government schools are abnormally higher. In English Medium schools fees are further abnormally higher. Government’s sincere intervention is essential to deal with this affair without planning to make tuition free education in government institutions. If the government really wants to bring some changes in this field, tuition free education can be introduced in the rural areas ranging from than headquarters to remote villages. In the cities it is not necessary on mass to distribute textbooks freely when the guardians are to spend about seventy to eighty thousand taka per year for private tuition for each student which is a serious disease and the authorities must give serious attention to this paradoxical fact.

Printing and publishing books in the private sector has emerged as a potential sector. This sector contributes a great deal to discourage the creativity of the learners. On the other hand, this sector has employed a good number of people lessening burden of unemployment in the country. These two things must be taken into consideration and they can be engaged in some fruitful and really creative process of teaching learning process. To make a meaningful change in this sector, existing established printing and publishing industry should be utilized fruitfully as we cannot close this industry. A real bridge can be established between the government and non-government printing and publishing industry. Change in the question pattern can bring qualitative change in education. The same pattern of question year after year not only makes teachers obtuse, it damages the creativity of the students and hampers to bloom their hidden potentials.
Commercialization of education, urban rural divide, mushroom growth of coaching centers, poor quality teaching, lack of proper training of teachers, failing to attract the bright students to teaching profession are the real challenges of education. Governments need to give serious attention to these issues. Education is not hampered because of the lack of textbooks. Textbooks could have been distributed only among the rural and hardcore poor community students who are really unable to buy textbooks.

Md. Masum Billah
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com