Bangladesh has made the unexpected announcement that it will no longer be hiring music teachers for basic schools. The hiring process for physical education has also been put on hold, in addition to the music teacher position.
The government led by Muhammad Yunus reportedly made this choice in the face of mounting criticism from Islamist organisations.
The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education published a gazette on Sunday outlining the revisions, according to local news source bdnews24.
"The modification has added two kinds of posts, even though the rules from last August included four. Masud Akhtar Khan, extra secretary of the schools division, told bdnews24.com that the new regulations do not include positions for assistant teachers of music and physical education.

Dhaka yields to pressure from Islamists
Jamaat-e-Islami, the biggest Islamist political party in Bangladesh, has participated in a number of rallies. The inclusion of music in school curricula has drawn criticism from JeI and other Islamist organisations, who claim that the program "goes against Islam."
According to Sajidur Rahman, a senior leader of Hefazat-e-Islam, a powerful lobbying organisation comprising several political parties, organisations, and religious schools, "Imposing music and dance is a conspiratorial move and goes against Islam," as reported by AFP.
The government's plan to eliminate music has also drawn criticism from many quarters. Renowned education specialist Rasheda K. Chowdhury told AFP that the Yunus government ought to have demonstrated that religious subjects and music could coexist.

Dhaka yields to pressure from Islamists
Jamaat-e-Islami, the biggest Islamist political party in Bangladesh, has participated in a number of rallies. The inclusion of music in school curricula has drawn criticism from JeI and other Islamist organisations, who claim that the program "goes against Islam."
According to Sajidur Rahman, a senior leader of Hefazat-e-Islam, a powerful lobbying organisation comprising several political parties, organisations, and religious schools, "Imposing music and dance is a conspiratorial move and goes against Islam," as reported by AFP.
The government's plan to eliminate music has also drawn criticism from many quarters. Renowned education specialist Rasheda K. Chowdhury told AFP that the Yunus government ought to have demonstrated that religious subjects and music could coexist.

"What sort of country do we hope to establish? "There is no conflict between religious studies and music, and the government should have persuaded them of this," she said.