Drugs spread nationwide exploiting unemployment, culture minister says at Rajshahi book fair
Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury has expressed concern over the quality of education and youth unemployment. He said unemployment is rising in the country for lack of proper education and skills, and that this unemployment and frustration were exploited to spread drugs alarmingly across the country.
He made the remarks on Thursday (October 29) afternoon as chief guest at the opening ceremony of the nine-day Rajshahi Divisional Book Fair at the Collectorate field in Rajshahi city. He inaugurated the fair by releasing balloons.
He said that at one time 98 percent of students were passed even without writing in their exam scripts. Because of this state of the education system, young people today hold institutional degrees but suffer from a severe lack of suitable skills and knowledge.
The culture minister said the present government is determined to improve the quality of education. He said nearly a quarter of the national budget has been allocated to the education ministry to bring radical change to the education system.
He also said the government has taken special plans to recruit meritorious teachers and to raise their salaries and allowances in order to ensure quality education for students.
Stressing the need to build the young generation as an asset for the future, Nitai Roy Chowdhury further said all children in villages and towns must now be encouraged to read books, play sports regularly and practise culture.
Only through this, he said, will their physical and mental development take place and they will grow up as meritorious human resources of the future.
Special guests at the ceremony included Rajshahi-3 MP Advocate Mohammad Shafiqul Haque Milan, Rajshahi-5 MP Professor Nazrul Islam and district council administrator freedom fighter Advocate Ershad Ali Isha, among others.
After the inaugural discussion, an attractive cultural programme was held on the fair premises.
The organisers said the divisional book fair that began at the Collectorate field will run until November 6. The fairgrounds will remain open to visitors and book lovers of all ages every day from 3pm to 8pm.
