Collective efforts needed to establish right narrative: Bobby Hajjaj

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj has stressed the need for concerted efforts to establish a culture of accurate and positive narratives in society in order to build an inclusive and discrimination-free Bangladesh.

The state minister made the remarks while addressing a discussion “From Commitment to Implementation: 180 Days of Government Action to Protect the Rights of Women and Children” at the Lakeshore Hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka, on Wednesday, as the chief guest.

He said misconceptions and misleading narratives surrounding politics, religion, gender and other social issues need to be reviewed and replaced with fact-based perspectives, with the younger generation and all sections of society playing an active role.

Bobby Hajjaj said he had heard several misleading narratives on politics, religion and gender.

“It is not my job to point out everything, but I believe you will review these narratives,” he said, stressing that establishing the right narrative is crucial for building the Bangladesh that the country aspires to become.

Calling for recognition of women’s diverse identities and capabilities instead of defining them only as daughters, mothers or wives, he said, “Social perceptions about both women and men should be reconsidered, and democratic politics should be based on competence, participation and public trust rather than physical strength.”

On primary education, Hajjaj said the government’s main objective is to ensure that quality education reaches every child. 

The government is working to bring private educational institutions and, gradually, madrasa institutions under effective government monitoring alongside public schools, he maintained. 

He said special attention was being paid to children in haor and other remote areas, including school infrastructure, teacher attendance, accommodation and the quality of education.

The government is also piloting initiatives with NGOs to provide sanitary products free of cost to adolescent girls in primary schools and raise awareness about hygiene, he added.

The discussion,  organised by the Coalition for Advancing Equality and Justice, was chaired by writer and development worker Nishat Sultana. MP Dr Shafiqul Islam Masud, Anna Minj, Nusrat Tabassum Jyoti and CPD Executive Director Dr Nazneen Ahmed attended as special guests.