A Dhaka court has recently suggested that the government should take steps to bring the Qawmi madrasas into the education mainstream to prevent its graduates and students from getting involved in militancy.
The view came from Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Ruhul Amin of Dhaka as part of the much-awaited verdict delivered on June 23 in the 13-year-old Ramna Batamul blast case.
Eight leaders of the banned militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami (Huji) were sentenced to death for killing 10 people by blasting bombs in middle of traditional Bangla new year celebrations in the capital’s Ramna Park in 2001. Six others were given life term jail.
Many of those 14 Huji men have attained the highest of Qawmi education degrees.
Since the parallel system of education is not recognised by the government, its graduates cannot apply for mainstream jobs. This, according to the court, is one of the main reasons why they get involved in militancy.
The Qawmi madrasas have always said their way of teaching would lose its “uniqueness” if it was merged with the mainstream government-regulated system.
Their textbooks are mostly written in Urdu which mainly teach religious conducts, rules, regulations and laws. The students are given elementary lessons on English, Bangla and mathematics.
Although there is no provision for girls to pursue higher studies in the Qawmi system, in some places, girls are allowed to attend the primary classes.
It is often said as the curricula lack elaboration in social sciences and culture, militant groups can easily misguide the Qawmi graduates and students, saying the traditional national cultures are against Islamic values.
The Dhaka Tribune has obtained an unsigned copy of the much-talked-about verdict.
“...the convicts used Mufti [an Islamic scholar who interprets or expounds Islamic laws), Hafez [who has fully memorized the Qur’an], and Hafez Mawlana [graduates of religious institutions] titles. That means they are highly educated in Islamic education,” the court observed.
“Islamic clerics spread the spirit of Islam, interpret Hadith and Qur’an, try to lead life as per Islamic spirits and laws and advice the Muslims to do so. The clerics claim themselves as successors of the Prophet,” the court said.
“But recently we have seen that a group of men, trained in Islamic education, has been creating panic by blasting bombs in crowded places. They have attacked lawyers, courts and judges,” the court said.
The court said this had shocked many people, who have positive views about and respect for the Islamic scholars.
“Probably, many students, who have degrees from the Qawmi madrasas, are getting involved in subversive activities like the convicts because they cannot get jobs and hence get frustrated,” the court observed.
In the Ramna Batamul blast case, the court found that some of the convicts were Afghan veterans and were trained in making bombs.
According to the Qawmi Madrasa Education Board, at present it has 2.8 million students in the country. However, there is no definitive count of the number of such madrasas in Bangladesh.
It is also said the Qawmi education is funded mainly by the Middle Eastern countries, especially Saudi Arabia. Qawmi education systems are also found in Pakistan and India.
