Education Minister ASHK Sadeque yesterday said the government has no plan to stop madrassah education in the country. On the contrary, the government has doubled budgetary allocation for this sector in the new fiscal.

Replying to questions, the minister told the Jatiya Sangsad: The question of closing the madrassah does not arise. We have taken steps to develop madrassah education.

He said particular quarters are misleading people to gain petty political ground through false public statements. "They are damaging the country and obstructing the development of madrassah education. Those who are spreading falsehood might face trial in this world." he added.

The minister accused the opposition parties of trying to confuse the people through their speeches in the House about madrassah education and teachers.

Replying to a question from an opposition BNP member Mashiur Rahman, he said the BNP government in 1995 had formulated a policy for madrassah which is very much in existence and the government is taking measures under the policy.

The education minister said the government has enlisted 200 new madrassah in the MPO last fiscal, which were about to be dropped during the BNP regime. Besides, the government has enhanced salaries and allowances of the school and madrassah teachers along with stipends for students.

Sadeque said presently there is a total of 6,500 MPO enlisted madrassah in the country.

On cancellation of registration and stoppage of government donation, he said the au-

thorities have recently canceled registrations of a good number of fake educational institutions. including general schools, colleges and madrassah on the basis of an inquiry committee report.

He said the Awami League government after assuming power formed a committee to investigate into the fake institutions. The committee after inquiry found that a large number of fake educational institutions are in existence. They have no teachers, students and educational activities but are getting government grants.

The minister said the government on the basis of the report stopped donations and canceled registration of the fake institutions, which do not even have bank accounts.