The Teaching Profession in Bangladesh: Issues and perspectives
Bangladesh celebrated the World Teachers’ Day on 5 October, 2026 with 102 teachers receiving national honours, each accompanied by Tk 200,000. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stressing that the dignity of teachers was inseparable from the dignity of the state.
He promised that salaries and retirement benefits would reach teachers’ bank accounts without the familiar rounds of offices.
He also called for teachers to be included in national ceremonies and for tablets to be placed in classrooms. He stated that the government is actively working to make teaching a first-choice, prestigious, and competitive profession for meritorious individuals.
These are welcome gestures. But the more important question is what happens on an ordinary weekday when a teacher faces forty pupils, inadequate materials, administrative demands and a household bill waiting at home.
Also there is no denying of the fact that teachers are not as respected today as they were in the generation of our parents is a documented reality.
The shift is not driven by a single factor, but rather a complex interplay of economic realities, structural systemic changes, and a broad shift in societal values.
In Bangladesh, the decline in teacher prestige spans from primary schools to universities, fueled by several clear drivers:
A. Socio-Economic Status and the “Fallback Profession” Trap Historically, teachers were viewed as spiritual and intellectual guardians of the community.
However, Bangladesh has evolved into a highly bureaucratic, capital-driven society where social status is closely tied to material wealth and executive power.
The Salary Crisis: Bangladesh underpays its primary and secondary school teachers significantly, offering some of the lowest salaries in South Asia.
The Fallback Mindset: Because professions like the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS), corporate jobs, banking ,medicine, and engineering offer far superior financial security and institutional power, teaching is widely perceived as a “fallback” option rather than a primary goal for top graduates.
B. The Commercialization of Education
Low institutional salaries have forced a vast majority of primary and secondary school teachers to rely heavily on private coaching centers and home tutoring to survive financially.
This has deeply damaged the traditional, sacred student-teacher bond. When education becomes a transactional service, students and parents view teachers as “service providers” rather than “mentors”.
In some cases, allegations of preferential grading for students who pay for private tutoring have further eroded public trust.
C. Declining Standards and Qualifications
Primary and Secondary Levels: Systemic issues, including a lack of modern pedagogical training and political appointments in school management committees, have diluted recruitment transparency.
Studies show that many active teachers struggle with creative questioning and modern curricula.
University Level: University teaching was once the most coveted position for top minds. Today, public university campus politics, factional infighting among faculties, and controversies involving university leadership have repeatedly played out in public media, shrinking the community’s collective respect for higher education authorities.
The Situation in the Indian Subcontinent
Both India and Pakistan suffer from similar issues as Bangladesh: an explosion of private tutoring, commercialized coaching cultures , and stark divides between underfunded public school systems and lucrative private schools.
However, average teacher salaries in India and Pakistan are estimated to be 50% and 30% higher respectively than in Bangladesh, giving their educators slightly better economic footing.
A 2024 World Bank Bangladesh brief, based on 2022 data, estimated that 51 percent of late primary age children lacked minimum reading proficiency.
Government primary teachers often begin at Grade 13 with Tk 11,000 in basic pay, so salaries, career progression and remote-area incentives need review.
Recruitment and transfers should be transparent and insulated from political pressure.
Teachers also need supervised practice, mentoring and continuing support, with training assessed by its effect on classroom learning.
Secondary schools inherit these learning gaps and face additional pressure from private coaching – which becomes harmful when classroom teaching suffers or when paid lessons influence teachers’ attention and grading.
Reform should therefore combine adequate salaries, conflict-of-interest rules and safe parental complaint channels rather than relying on prohibition alone.
A September 2026 UNICEF pilot across 24 secondary schools linked better learning to assessments matched to pupils’ understanding, suitable materials and sustained teacher support, although overcrowding remained a barrier. Technology should support, not replace, teachers’ judgment and encouragement.
Colleges should provide the conditions needed for effective teaching and further study. They need timely salaries, credible promotion systems, manageable workloads, libraries and laboratories, including institutions under the Monthly Pay Order(MPO) system. University affiliation should ensure academic support and reliable assessment.
Undergraduate education should emphasize analysis, communication and practical application rather than copied notes and employment-test preparation.
Universities require stronger standards for recruitment, promotion and academic life. They need fair hiring, transparent promotion, research funding and protected academic inquiry.
Institutions should disclose appointment criteria and conflicts of interest, while private universities must meet standards for faculty, contracts, facilities and student welfare.
Governing bodies should shield teachers from partisan interference and mob pressure.
Teachers, in turn, must provide regular attendance, honest grading and openness to questions. Across higher education, academic freedom paired with accountability can restore teaching’s standing.
Recommended Actions in Bangladesh to upgrade status of Teachers:
Any education system is only as strong as its educators. Bangladesh can adopt specific global best practices across three key levels.
Actions by the Government
Competitive Salaries: Align starting pay with other respected professions like engineering and medicine so teaching attracts top graduates.
Merit-Based Recruitment: Use transparent, corruption-free testing authorities to select the brightest minds rather than relying on political favor or a fallback option.
Administrative Relief: Ensure salaries and pensions disburse directly through digital bank accounts to stop bureaucratic harassment.
State Recognition: Invite educators to official state functions on national holidays to showcase public appreciation.
Actions by Academic Institutions
Rethink Teacher Training: Shift from outdated “chalk-and-talk” methods to practical, interactive teaching methods through continuous professional development.
Embrace Modern Tools: Distribute digital resources like tablets under programmes such as the “One Teacher, One Tab” initiative to help educators manage digital lesson plans and learning analytics.
Encourage Critical Thinking: Train teachers to foster student curiosity by asking “why” and “how” instead of forcing simple memorization.
Actions by Society at Large
Cultural Respect: Treat teachers as moral leaders and essential architects of the nation rather than service providers.
Eradicate Dual Burdens: Support policies that pay educators enough so they do not need to rely on after-hours coaching centers or private tutoring just to survive.
Community Engagement: Involve local communities and parents in celebrating teacher achievements and supporting school developments.
In July, 2026 the Prime Minister spoke in Parliament about pursuing a five-year ambition to raise education spending to 5% of GDP. Government pledges on salaries, training, retirement dues and education spending deserve recognition.
School heads, college principals and university leaders also have responsibilities. Institutional leaders must uphold fair decisions, mentor teachers and protect professional judgment. Parents and students should value learning over marks; teachers must reject absenteeism, coercive coaching and abuse.
Sixty years after the ILO–UNESCO recommendation, its principle remains clear: teachers need conditions that enable effective work and decent lives.
(The writer is a retired Bangladeshi – Canadian banker with interest in National, Regional & International Affairs and Economic issues )
