Bangladesh abolishes posts of music and sports teachers in schools following pressure from Islamic fundamentalists

Dhaka (Bangladesh) – The interim government of Bangladesh has scrapped its decision to appoint music and sports teachers in primary schools after facing strong opposition from hardline Islamist groups, who denounced the move as ‘anti-Islamic’. When asked about the government’s capitulation to such pressure, a ministry official simply remarked, “You can see the situation yourself.”

🚨 Islamic Hardliners Tighten Grip on Bangladesh

Under pressure from extremist groups like Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam, Bangladesh’s interim govt has removed music & sports teachers from schools; branding such education “anti-Islamic.”

🎶⚽ When music & sports become… pic.twitter.com/IrsAD9wqJx

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) November 4, 2025

Groups like Jamaat-e-Islami, Hefazat-e-Islam and several other Islamist organisations had openly warned the interim government that they would take to the streets if music and sports education continued. They alleged that the move was intended to ‘lead children away from religion’. Some hardline clerics even claimed that ‘teachers who teach music will make children careless and immoral’.

Government also retreats on women’s reforms

A few months ago, the government had dissolved a reform committee formed to advance women’s rights, again bowing to pressure from religious hardliners. At that time too, Islamist groups had threatened that if such reforms were implemented, the government’s leaders “wouldn’t even get a chance to escape.”

Editorial Perspective

Bangladesh now seems to be on a path towards becoming an officially Islamic nation governed by Sharia law. Once that happens, India will find itself surrounded by threats — Pakistan in the west and Bangladesh in the east.