Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday said the dignity of teachers in society is closely linked to the dignity and image of the state, stressing the need to make teaching an attractive and competitive profession so that the most talented people choose it as their first career option.

“Teaching can never be a last resort or just another ordinary…If teachers retain their dignity in society, the image of the state is enhanced,” he said while addressing a discussion marking World Teachers’ Day 2026 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital.

Tarique Rahman said the government is taking various measures to ensure teachers’ financial security and enhance their opportunities, respect and dignity.

“The government is restructuring teacher recruitment and the education system in such a way that the most talented people in education become interested in choosing teaching as their first career preference,” he said.

The Prime Minister said his government’s wants to build an education system in the country where no child remains deprived of education. “Even if someone drops out at any stage of their education for any reason, it is important to ensure that no one remains unemployed.”

He also directed the authorities to ensure that teachers do not have to visit government offices repeatedly to receive their salaries or retirement benefits.

“Teachers should not have to suffer by going from office to office for their salaries or retirement benefits. Their entitled payments must reach them through banks on time and according to the rules,” Tarique Rahman said.

The discussion, organised by the Ministry of Education, highlighted teachers’ dignity, rights, professional development and the need to ensure quality education.

This year’s World Teachers’ Day was observed under the theme “Standing with Teachers: Sixty Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing its Status, Shaping our Futures.”

At the programme, 102 distinguished teachers were honoured for their outstanding contribution to education and nation-building.

Teachers to be invited to state functions

Tarique Rahman announced that, from this year, at least one primary school teacher and one secondary school teacher will have to be included in the guest lists for state functions marking major national days, including Independence Day and Victory Day.

He said the relevant authorities have been instructed to formulate the guest lists accordingly. “A teacher, whether serving or retired, remains worthy of the state’s respect because of the dignity of this noble profession,” he said.

Describing teachers as one of the key instruments for building a knowledge-based state and society, the Prime Minister said teachers played a particularly important role in shaping students’ values and character.

He congratulated the distinguished teachers honoured on the occasion and said teachers should become students’ “need and beloved”.

Modernising education

Tarique Rahman said the rapid development of social media and artificial intelligence has made it necessary to move beyond traditional education methods.

“Technical and practical education has become indispensable. Therefore, changing teaching and learning strategies and modernising the education curriculum have become a demand of the time,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the government has modernised the school curriculum and students will receive textbooks based on the new curriculum next year.

He stressed that students should be encouraged to ask “why” and “how” instead of simply memorising information. “If students develop curiosity, they can become their own teachers,” he said.

Tarique Rahman also highlighted the importance of joyful learning, saying the government has introduced a new book titled “Learning with Happiness” for Class VI students for the first time.

The initiative will gradually be extended to other classes so that students can learn with greater enjoyment, he said.

Technology should strengthen teachers

The Prime Minister said artificial intelligence has opened up vast opportunities for acquiring knowledge, while the rapid advancement of information technology has also created new challenges for teachers.

He stressed the need to further modernise teacher-training colleges to prepare teachers for these challenges. “We do not want to see technology as a substitute for teachers. Rather, technology will be the strength of teachers,” he said.

Tarique Rahman said the government is advancing the “One Teacher, One Tab” programme, enabling teachers to use tablets for digital lesson plans, question banks, monitoring students’ learning progress and accessing necessary learning materials.

The government is also expanding multimedia classrooms and free Wi-Fi facilities in educational institutions, he said.

Equal access to quality education

The Prime Minister said there are still disparities between urban and rural areas in access to educational opportunities.

He said the government has taken various plans to ensure that students in both urban and rural areas could benefit from skilled teachers and modern technology. “Our vision for reforming the education system is equal opportunities, quality education and non-discriminatory access,” he said.

Tarique Rahman said the government wants to build an education system where no child will remain deprived of education, and no one will be left without an opportunity to rebuild their life even if they drop out at any stage of education.

He said education is the government’s highest priority and that the country has allocated the highest-ever amount for the education sector in the national budget. The allocation will be increased gradually over the next five years,” he said.

The Prime Minister noted that Bangladesh’s secondary education sector is comprised of around 21,000 institutions and more than 300,000 teachers, educating millions of students, while a major part of the sector depends on private and MPO-listed institutions.

Education for character building

Tarique Rahman said employment-oriented education was necessary, but employment should not be considered the sole purpose of education.

“Ethics and character building must be among the main objectives of education,” he said, adding that if knowledge is not connected with morality, it can become a cause of harm to society instead of contributing to its welfare.

The Prime Minister stressed making truthfulness, responsibility, empathy, patriotism, humanity, discipline and respect for others integral parts of education.

He said teachers, after families, could play the most important role in instilling moral values in students.

102 distinguished teachers honoured

At the programme, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman handed over the “Guni Teacher Recognition” awards to 102 distinguished teachers from primary to higher education levels.

Each received a cash award of Tk 200,000, a crest and a certificate of recognition.

The recipients included 10 teachers from the primary level, 20 from the secondary level, 25 from colleges, 20 from general universities, 10 from medical colleges and universities, three from agricultural universities, three from engineering universities and four from other specialised universities.

Among the recipients were late educationist and former Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Emajuddin Ahmed, former Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Anwarullah Chowdhury and National Professor Dr Mahbub Ullah.

Seven additional teachers selected by the Prime Minister were also honoured at the programme chaired by Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon.

Tarique Rahman congratulated the award recipients and paid tribute to teachers from primary schools to universities, saying teachers could become role models for students and play a crucial role in preparing them to face global challenges.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Education Mahdi Amin, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Education Md Salim Bhuiyan, National Professor Mahbub Ullah and Education Secretary Abdul Khaleque also spoke.

World Teachers’ Day is observed globally every October 5 to recognise teachers’ contributions to education and society and highlight the importance of their dignity, rights and professional development.