LATEST
Right to information a priority, says new CIC October sees 103 dengue deaths across country ‘We won’t sit idle if BNP treads path of fascism’ Canada grants C$45m as Japan eyes tourism boom Protests across France spiral into looting, blazes and clashes Editors warn against misuse of cyber law Matarbari to anchor regional trade chain Income shortfall drives household debt Ishraque announces resignation as State Minister for Liberation War Affairs PM warns opposition against paving way for authoritarianism, betraying July martyrs
Skip to content

Tuesday | October 20, 2026 | Dhaka

Education Minister urges revival of ethics, patriotism in education

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:01 AM, 20 October 2026

Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon has called for restoring principles and ethics in the education system, stressing that nurturing the younger generation with patriotism and moral values is essential to building a prosperous Bangladesh.

“We are drifting far away from our core moral foundation, which requires deep reflection. To build a prosperous Bangladesh, the new generation must be raised on patriotism and ethical values,” he said.

The minister made the remarks as the chief guest at the closing session of the three-day International Conference on Knowledge Integration and Educational Leadership (ICKIEL-2026) at Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST) on Monday.

He joined the programme virtually from China, where he is attending the World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference 2026.

Sharing his experience in China, Milon said Bangladesh had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China, alongside 100 participating countries, to enhance the country’s technical education.

Under the agreement, strategic educational integration would be pursued through six priority initiatives to bring Bangladesh’s technical education up to international standards, he said.

The three-day conference was jointly organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Islamic Thought (BIIT) and AUST to promote global knowledge integration and advance international educational leadership.

Researchers, academics, policymakers and university vice-chancellors from around 15 countries, including Bangladesh, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Türkiye, Nigeria, India and Pakistan, participated in the event.

The closing session was held at AUST’s Prof Dr MH Khan Auditorium under the chairmanship of BIIT Director General and organising committee chairman Professor Abdul Aziz.

Former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan and AUST Board of Trustees Chairman Professor Dr M Ghulam Rahman attended as special guests.

Addressing the gathering, Niaz Ahmed Khan highlighted structural mismatches in the education sector, particularly the gap between moral education, academic learning and the skills required by society.

“We are failing to integrate moral education with worldly knowledge. On the other hand, our graduates lack the skills demanded by society.

While the general unemployment rate in the country stands at around 3.5 percent, the unemployment rate among university graduates is 13.9 percent—which is alarming and represents a national failure,” he said.

He called for better alignment between spiritual and academic learning and the needs of society.

Welcome addresses were delivered by Professor Dr Mohammad Sarwar Morshed, director of AUST’s Extension Services Center and vice-chairman of the organising committee; Associate Professor Dr Mohd Rushdan Mohd Jailani, dean of the Faculty of Leadership and Management at co-host Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM); and AUST Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Md Ashraful Hoque.

During the conference, scholars and researchers from Bangladesh and abroad stressed the need to integrate ethical principles into modern education systems.
Professor Dr Mohd Yusof Othman of USIM delivered the vote of thanks at the conclusion of the event.