In a modest rented home in Dhaka’s Shahjadpur neighborhood, Idris Molla from Shariatpur tries to keep his family afloat by selling fish during the day and prayer caps and perfume in the evenings by the roadside. With two sons and a daughter, he has enrolled all three in Qawmi madrasas. “I never had the chance to study, so I couldn't get a formal job. I sell fish to support my family,” he said. “School education is expensive. I can’t afford that. Even running a five-member household is a struggle for me.”
Idris is not alone. In recent years, a growing number of parents from low-income backgrounds have turned to madrasas for their children’s education. In Bangladesh, there are two primary streams of madrasa education: Alia and Qawmi.
Alia madrasas follow the government curriculum alongside religious studies and are overseen by the Bangladesh Bureau of Education Information and Statistics (BANBEIS). Qawmi madrasas, on the other hand, are entirely private. They operate independently, follow their own curriculum, and are not monitored by the government. The government even has clear statistics on the number of students enrolled in Qawmi madrasas.
Currently, Qawmi madrasas operate under six major and a few smaller education boards, the largest of which is Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh (BEFAQ). Analysis of Befaq’s exam data shows a sharp rise in the number of examinees, by nearly 55 percent over the last three years. In 2022, a total of 225,631 students sat for its central exams. This year, that number rose to 349,776—a jump of 124,415 students. Notably, female participation increased significantly.
A Befaq official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there are now around 29,000 madrasas across the country under the board, with approximately 5 million students. Of those, students from 17,362 madrasas participated in this year’s central exams.
In contrast, mainstream general education is seeing a consistent decline in enrollment. In 2022, a total of 244,733 students registered for ninth grade. But by the time they reached the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams last year, only 1,710,296 students appeared. This indicates that 534,437 students had dropped out, about 23.8 percent of the cohort.
The primary level shows a similar trend. While enrollment rose in Ibtedayi madrasas and kindergartens, government primary schools saw a drop of over 1 million students in 2023 compared to the year before, according to the Annual Primary School Census (APSC) 2023 report by the Department of Primary Education (DPE).
Education experts say dropout rates at secondary schools are increasing year by year. At the same time, many students are shifting to Qawmi madrasas. Besides religious motivations, poverty—especially in the post-COVID years—has played a major role in this shift. Experts stress the need to bring this rapidly growing sector under a formal policy framework to ensure quality education and to help develop skilled human resources.
Dr. Md Abdus Salam, a professor at the University of Dhaka’s Institute of Education and Research, told Bonik Barta, “One major reason for the rise in madrasa enrollment, especially in remote areas, is poverty. Most Qawmi madrasas offer free or low-cost education, and many provide residential facilities. A large section of our population simply can’t afford to send their children to mainstream schools. For working mothers, it’s also difficult to juggle jobs and childcare. So, they turn to madrasas. Frequent curriculum changes and the long COVID-related school closures also contributed to the shift.”
He added, “Unfortunately, Qawmi madrasas and kindergartens still operate outside of government monitoring. It’s essential to bring these institutions under a national policy framework, especially Qawmi madrasas, as concerns about their educational environment persist.”
According to Dr. Md Abdus Salam, a nationwide survey is urgently needed—covering student and teacher numbers, educational environment, and other key indicators—to ensure Qawmi madrasas provide a standard learning environment and equip students with useful skills.
The Qawmi system in Bangladesh is modeled after India’s Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh, which emphasizes Quran and Hadith studies. Its highest degree is the ‘Dawra-e-Hadith,’ considered equivalent to a Master’s degree after the government granted official recognition. To oversee these programs, a unified board called ‘Al-Haiatul Ulya Lil-Jamiatil Qawmia Bangladesh’ was formed, comprising six Qawmi boards including Befaq, Gawhardanga, Azad Dini Edaratut Talim, Tanzim Ul Madaris, Anjuman Ittihadul Madaris, and Befaqul Madarisid Dinia.
In 2022, a total of 24,929 students took the Dawra-e-Hadith exam. This year, the number rose to 32,718—an increase of 31.24 percent.
The push for official recognition of Qawmi degrees was led by Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, a Qawmi-based organization. Its joint secretary general, Maulana Mamunul Haque, told Bonik Barta, “The main purpose of the government’s recognition of Qawmi madrasas was to ensure that students from this education system are acknowledged by the state or government as educated individuals. This recognition was meant to fulfill the academic qualifications required for citizens to participate in various state responsibilities and activities. However, there were additional objectives for utilizing this recognition more effectively. One of them was to create opportunities for Qawmi graduates to contribute in different sectors at the national level through this certification. But that goal has not yet been achieved. Another objective was for this recognition to support access to higher education. But in that regard, it’s not serving its purpose.”
The last official survey on Qawmi madrasas was conducted by BANBEIS in 2015. At the time, there were 13,902 madrasas and 1,398,252 students. However, experts believe that many rural institutions were excluded from the survey and that both the number of madrasas and students have increased significantly since then.
Alongside Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh, the number of students in other Qawmi madrasa boards is also on the rise, according to board officials. One of them is the Sylhet-based Azad Dini Adara Talim Bangladesh. Its Secretary General, Mawlana Abdul Basir, told Bonik Barta, “The number of institutions and students has been increasing every year. Currently, we have more than 185,000 students, 11,491 teachers, and 785 staff members under our board. Altogether, there are 1,129 madrasas. Of them, 114 are title-level madrasas, 408 are ibtedai (primary-level), and 283 are Hifz madrasas.”
Speaking about the rising enrollment, he said, “In recent years, people’s interest in Islamic education has grown significantly. This is largely because many are frustrated with the mainstream education system. As a result, more families are now turning to religious education. There was a time when Qawmi madrasas were seen as schools for the poor. But today, even rich families are enrolling their children in these institutions. If the government provided more support, Qawmi education could progress even further.”
Another Qawmi madrasa board operating outside the six main boards is the Habiganj Qawmi Madrasa Board. Its General Secretary, Mawlana Abu Saleh Saadi, told Bonik Barta that the number of institutions and students under their board has also grown in recent years. He said, “The number of students has been increasing over the past few years. One of the main reasons is that the quality of madrasa education has improved compared to before. What students are taught in primary schools is several times less than what is taught at the Nurani level in Qawmi madrasas. As a result, parents are becoming more interested in madrasa education, considering both religious values and the quality of education.”
It is not just rural families who are turning to Qawmi madrasas. Many low-income urban families—including those in the capital—are also enrolling their children in these institutions. A visit to several madrasas in Dhaka revealed that many are being run in small apartments or rented rooms within multi-story buildings. Most of the students in these setups come from low-income households. The minimal cost of education and accommodation makes Qawmi madrasas an appealing choice for these families.
To ensure overall educational quality and to prepare students for the future, Emeritus Professor Dr. Manzoor Ahmed of BRAC University believes it is essential to bring all educational institutions under a structured monitoring system. He told Bonik Barta, “There has been ongoing discussion about Qawmi madrasas for a long time, but no solution has been reached yet. That’s because every government has treated the issue as extremely sensitive. However, if we want to ensure quality education across the country and turn students into a skilled workforce, the government must take Qawmi madrasas into serious consideration. Right now, students from these institutions are falling behind in many areas, including the job market, except for professions like an imam or teaching. To help them move beyond this situation, secure better livelihoods, and ensure a quality learning environment in these institutions, concrete steps are needed. We hope the current government will work toward resolving these issues through discussions with Qawmi madrasa stakeholders.”