Arabic should be treated as economic tool: education secretary

Secretary of the Technical and Madrasah Education Division of the Ministry of Education Muhammad Rafiqul Islam said the government has undertaken and is implementing multiple projects to improve the madrasah education system.

He said the government is also consistently working to preserve the Islamic stream of education and has launched various programmes to promote the Arabic language at upazila and district levels across the country.

"Arabic should not be seen merely as a language, but as an effective skill and a promising economic tool. Arabic can be utilised as an 'economic tool'," the secretary said while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion organised by the Islamic Arabic University at the International Mother Language Institute in Dhaka on Thursday, 18 December 2025.

Addressing imams and khatibs, he said providing Bengali translations of Arabic verses during khutbahs would benefit worshippers and increase interest in learning Arabic. He also urged Islamic scholars to enhance their professional skills and highlight the importance of Arabic in their respective fields. He further called upon social leaders and entrepreneurs to play a role in launching Arabic-based special programmes on television and radio.

Speaking as the keynote discussant, Chairman of the Bangladesh Bank Shariah Advisory Board and former vice chancellor of International Islamic University Chattogram Professor Dr Abu Bakar Rajiq Ahmed said at least two billion people around the world are directly or indirectly connected to the Arabic language.

"No other language can be compared with Arabic. From the beginning of the world to its end, the practice of this language will continue — something that cannot be said with certainty about any other language," he said. He added that although English is widely used globally, Arabic is the language of the Holy Quran, which gives it a unique and incomparable status.

Presiding over the programme, Vice Chancellor of Islamic Arabic University Professor Dr Md Shamsul Alam said Arabic language proficiency could play a transformative role in the country's economy. He said Arabic education is essential for increasing remittance inflow and driving economic change, and the university is working to bring madrasah education back to its core strength by prioritising Arabic learning.

He also said an Islamic Arabic Institute is being established at the university's own campus with funding from the Saudi government, which is expected to benefit both religious scholars and migrant workers heading to the Middle East.

At one stage of the programme, prizes were distributed among the country's best Arabic teachers selected on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, as well as winners of Arabic reading and language proficiency competitions.

Among others, speakers included Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Mohammad Abu Zafar Khan, Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board Chairman Professor Mia Md Nurul Haque, Dean of the Graduate Education, Training and Research Centre Professor Dr Mohammad Ali Ullah, and Registrar Md Ayub Hossain.

Heads of departments, teachers, officials and staff of the university, along with principals, teachers and students from more than a hundred madrasahs across the country, attended the programme. A rally was also organised to mark the occasion.