(News Credit en.prothomalo.com) The stage was set up to like a school, with children running around and playing. The new headmaster came up and asked one of the members of the audience, where is the Uchchhashe Alor Pathshala (roughly translate: Joyful School of Light)? The audience member pointed towards the stage. Then the new headmaster then went to the children busy playing and asked them, where is the headmaster's room? A child led the teacher to the back of the stage.
Then the assistant headmaster and a few others came on the stage. The assistant head master told the students, “Students, the person who has come with me is the new headmaster of our Uchchhashe Alor Pathshala. We will welcome him today at the assembly.” The children then stood in line, like in an assembly at school. The national anthem played.
This was the setting created at the ‘IPDC-Prothom Alo Priyo Shikkhok Sammanona 2025’ (Best Teacher Award) event. It took everyone present back to their childhood schooldays for a while.
At this event, held yesterday, Saturday, at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital, a day before World Teachers' Day, seven selected teachers from across the country, were honoured. Posthumous honours were given to three teachers who died in the plane crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara, Dhaka.
Teachers have huge in building up good humans. Besides spreading the light of knowledge, they teach morality, values and humanity. Among these venerable figures, some teachers remain very close to the heart. Their style of teaching, love, care, ideals and guidance leave a deep impression on everyone’s mind. They become our ‘Priyo Shikkhok’ (Favourite Teacher)-whose ideals still inspire us. For five years, Prothom Alo and the financial institution IPDC have jointly been honouring such teachers.
This time, the award ceremony was organised for the fifth time. Before this, a total of 40 favourite teachers were honoured from 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
The process of receiving nominations for this year’s Priyo Shikkhok Sammanona (Best Teacher Award) began on 17 June. A total of 2,662 nominations for teachers were submitted within the stipulated time. Of these, 472 were primary school teachers and 2,190 were secondary school teachers. From among them, the jury selected seven teachers for the honour. And it was decided to give posthumous honours to the three teachers-Maherin Chowdhury, Mahfuza Khatun, and Masuka Begum-who died for the plane crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara.
The seven teachers who received the awards this time are: Azmira Khanam, senior teacher of Binapani Government Girls' High School, Gopalganj; Jagadish Chandra Roy, headmaster of Subrata Khajanchi Government Primary School, Dinajpur; Parveen Akhter, former headmistress of Brahmanbaria Govt. Model Girls' High School; Md. Alauddin, headmaster of Alinagar Girls High School, Chapainawabganj; Mosammat Shahanaz Parveen, headmaster of Pouro Model School and College, Jhenaidah; Ranjit Chandra Das, principal of Gana-Udyog Girls' High School and College, Cumilla; and Sheikh Moniruzzaman, headmaster of Mobaidul Islam Secondary School, Bagerhat. They were present at the event and received the honour.
Each of the seven esteemed teachers who received the honour was presented with a crest, a scarf (uttoriyo), a certificate, and a cheque for Tk 100,000.
Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said that the government has set increasing the dignity and number of teachers as a priority. The decision has already been taken to upgrade the headmasters of government primary schools to the 10th grade
On behalf of the families of the three teachers who received the posthumous awards, Md. Mansur Helal (husband of Maherin Chowdhury), Ayesha Siddika Oshin (daughter of Mahfuza Khatun), and Papri Rahman (elder sister of Masuka Begum) received the awards, respectively. A crest and a cheque for Tk 150,000 were handed over to the family of each of these teachers.
In the event, videos were screened to highlight the work lives of the awarded teachers . Their speeches were also presented there. The videos showed how each teacher not only focused on education but also helped shape the lives of the students.
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Asia Pacific, Kamrul Ahsan, was the head of the jury board. The members were Md. Asadul Kabir, retired headmaster of Karapara Sarat Chandra Secondary School, Bagerhat, and recipient of the Priyo Shikkhok Award in 2019; Florence Gomes, Principal of YWCA Higher Secondary Girls' School, Dhaka; Professor Abu Saleh Mohammad Wadudur Rahman (Tuhin Wadud) of Begum Rokeya University; and Tahmina Islam, Associate Professor of Dhaka University.
Role of teachers recalled
Chief Guest at the event, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Adviser to the Interim Government for the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Road Transport and Bridges, and Railways, respectfully recalled the contributions of teachers behind all successes and achievements.
While talking about various government initiatives regarding teachers, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said that the government has set increasing the dignity and number of teachers as a priority. The decision has already been taken to upgrade the headmasters of government primary schools to the 10th grade. Additionally, another 13,000 to 15,000 teachers will be appointed in primary schools (considering vacant posts). They are working to ensure that teachers can be recruited quickly through the Public Service Commission (PSC) at the college and other levels.
Rasheda K Choudhury, former advisor to the caretaker government, said that teachers are the backbone of the nation. But that backbone itself often cannot stand straight because is that teachers are not given that respect.
Mohammad Kaikobad, Distinguished Professor at BRAC University, highlighted how the teachers are teaching the students to dream against all odds.
In his welcome speech, Rizwan Dawood Shams, Managing Director of IPDC, said, today we are honouring our dear teachers. But this is not just an honour; today we have come to express our gratitude to them. Teachers have the greatest contribution in working together to build a sustainable future. And it starts from the 'pathshala' (local schools). He announced that they have launched a special loan service for teachers called ‘Progga’ on the occasion of the Priyo Shikkhok Awards. Through this service, teachers can take loans of up to 25 lakh taka under easy terms.
Bangladesh’s challenges are quality primary education, teachers and the future
Professor M Tamim, Vice-Chancellor of Independent University, Bangladesh, said former students can get together to honour their teachers. He said that if primary and secondary teachers are not properly evaluated, the backbone of the nation will never stand strong.
Professor Abdul Hasib Chowdhury, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), requested the government to arrange a School Teacher’s Day on a specific day of the year to honour teachers.
Abdur Rab, Vice-Chancellor of the International University of Business Agriculture and Technology, said that one or more teachers in every educational institution deserve such an honour. Professor Kamrul Ahsan, head of the Jury Board, said it felt like we should honour all the teachers.
Matiur Rahman, Editor of Prothom Alo, thanked everyone present and especially remembered and paid tribute to the three teachers who received the posthumous award. He said, we believe in truth and information. No matter what happens, we will continue to work to publish the truth. Prothom Alo has only one goal: to see Bangladesh’s victory and success everywhere.
The event was also attended by Professor Saiful Islam, Vice-Chancellor of American International University, Bangladesh, Sabbir Ahmed, Director of IPDC, and teachers and students from various educational institutions.
Cultural performances
At the event, students and teachers of Shohoj Path High School performed a musical skit to the song "Ekdin Chuti Hobe..". Then the song "Master Shab Ami Naam Dostokhot Shikte Chai..." was jointly performed by artistes Saniya Sultana Liza and Kishor Das.
The event was conducted by Munir Hasan, Head of Digital Transformation, Youth Programs, and Events at Prothom Alo, and Mahbuba Sultana, Coordinator of Prothom Alo Trust. The event started with the ringing of a school bell and also ended with the ringing of the bell.