The Madrasah Education Ordinance, 1978
An Ordinance to reorganise Madrasah education in Bangladesh.
An Ordinance to reorganise Madrasah education in Bangladesh. WHEREAS it is expedient to reorganise Madrasah education in Bangladesh; NOW, THEREFORE, in pursuance of the Proclamations of the 20th August, 1975, and the 8th November, 1975, and in exercise of all powers enabling him in that behalf, the President is pleased to make and promulgate the following Ordinance:-
Section 1. Short title
This Ordinance may be called the Madrasah Education Ordinance, 1978.
Section 2. Definitions
In this Ordinance, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-
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Section 3. Establishment of the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board
(1) As soon as may be after the commencement of this Ordinance, the Government shall, by notification, establish a Board to be called the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board for the organisation, regulation, supervision, control, development and improvement of Madrasah education in Bangladesh in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance.
(2) The Board shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal and shall have, subject to regulations, power to acquire and hold movable and immovable property, to transfer such property when held by it, to contract, and to do all other things necessary for carrying out the purposes of this Ordinance and shall by the said name sue and be sued.
(3) The powers of regulation, supervision, control, development and improvement of Madrasah education in Bangladesh shall vest in the Board.
Section 4. Composition of the Board
The Board shall be constituted with the following members, namely:-
Section 5. Publication of names of members of the Board
The name of every person nominated or appointed as a member shall, as soon as possible after his nomination or appointment, as the case may be, be published by notification.
Section 6. Term of office of members of the Board
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Ordinance, a member, other than the ex-officio member, shall hold office for a term of three years from the date on which his name is published by notification under section 5, and may, on the expiration of such term, be eligible for re-appointment or re-nomination.
(2) A person nominated by the Government under clauses (d) to (i) of section 4 shall cease to be a member as soon as he ceases to hold the office by virtue of which he was nominated.
(3) Any member, other than the ex-officio member and the Chairman, may resign his membership by a letter addressed to the Chairman and, in the case of the Chairman, he may resign his membership by a letter addressed to the President:
Provided that the resignation shall not take effect until it is accepted by the President or the Government, as the case may be.
(4) The President or the Government may, at any time by order in writing, remove any member other than an ex-officio member appointed or nominated by him or it from his office if the President or, as the case may be, the Government considers such removal necessary or expedient in public interest or in the interest of the Board.
(5) The Government may, at any time by order in writing, remove the member nominated by the Director of Technical Education under clause (c) of section 4 from his office if it considers such removal necessary or expedient in public interest or in the interest of the Board.
Section 7. Disqualification of membership
(1) A person shall not be eligible for nomination or appointment as a member, if he-
(2) The nomination or appointment of a person who is, on the date of his nomination or appointment, subject to any of the disqualifications specified in sub-section (1), shall be invalid.
(3) If a member becomes subject to any of the disqualifications specified in sub-section (1), his membership shall thereupon cease.
Section 8. Filling up of casual vacancies
(1) Subject to the provisions of section 11, when the office of a member becomes vacant by resignation, death or otherwise, another person shall be nominated or appointed in his place in the manner provided in the appropriate clause of section 4 and such person shall hold office so long as the member whose place he fills would have been entitled to hold office if such vacancy had not occurred.
(2) Notwithstanding the expiration of the term of three years specified in sub-section (1) of section 6, a member shall continue to hold office until the vacancy caused by the expiration of the said term has been filled in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance.
Section 9. Officers of the Board
The following shall be the officers of the Board, namely:-
Section 10. Inspection
(1) The Government may, with the approval of the President, cause an inspection by such person on it may direct of the office, activities and funds of the Board and the examinations conducted by the Board and may cause an enquiry to be made in respect of any matter concerning the Board. The Government shall communicate to the Board the result of such inspection or enquiry and may advise the Board as to the action to be taken within a specified time. The Board shall report to the Government, the action it proposes to take or has taken on such communication; and where the Board does not, within a reasonable time, take action to the satisfaction of the Government, the Government may, after considering any explanation given by the Board issue such directions as it may deem fit, and the Chairman shall comply with such directions.
(2) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1), the Government, with the prior approval of the President, may, by an order in writing, annul any proceeding of the Board or any of the Committees if the Government is satisfied that such proceeding is not in conformity with the provisions of this Ordinance:
Provided that, before making any such order, the Government shall, through the Chairman, call upon the Board or the Committee concerned to show cause why such an order should not be made.
Section 11. Appointment, power and duties of the Chairman
(1) The Chairman shall be a whole time officer of the Board and shall be appointed by the President on such terms and conditions as the President may determine.
(2) When the office of the Chairman falls vacant temporarily or otherwise, by reason of leave, illness or other cause for a period not exceeding one year, the President shall, notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), make such arrangements for carrying on the duties of the office of the Chairman as he may deem fit.
(3) The Chairman shall be the principal executive and academic officer of the Board and shall, when present, preside at the meetings of the Board and the Committees appointed under section 18.
(4) It shall be the duty of the Chairman to ensure that the provisions of this Ordinance and the regulations are faithfully observed and carried out and he shall exercise all powers necessary for this purpose.
(5) In any emergency arising out of the administrative business of the Board and requiring, in the opinion of the Chairman, immediate action, the Chairman shall take such action as he may deem necessary and shall report the action so taken to the Board at its next meeting for information.
(6) The Chairman shall exercise such other powers as may be delegated to him by the Government or as may be prescribed.
Section 12. Appointment of other officers and employees of the Board
(1) Officers of the Board, other than the Chairman, shall be appointed by the Board in such manner as may be prescribed.
(2) All other employees of the Board shall be appointed by the Chairman in such manner as may be prescribed.
Section 13. Terms and conditions of service of officers and employees of the Board
Subject to the provisions of this Ordinance, the terms and conditions of service, including rules for disciplinary matters, granting of leave and for retirement of the officers and the employees of the Board shall be such as may be prescribed.
Section 14. Casual vacancies in the posts of the officers of the Board other than the Chairman
Temporary or casual vacancies in the posts of the officers of the Board other than the Chairman shall be filled up in such manner as may be prescribed.
Section 15. Conduct of meetings
The Chairman or, in his absence, one member elected from amongst those present at the meeting of the Board or of the Committee, shall preside at every meeting of the Board or the Committee and shall be entitled to vote on any matter and shall have and exercise a second or casting vote in every case of equality of votes.
Section 16. Restriction on voting
(1) No member shall vote on any matter coming before the Board or the Committee in respect of which (otherwise than in the general application thereof to all Madrasahs) he has any personal interest. (2) The Chairman or the presiding member, as the case may be, shall decide any question under sub-section (1) arising in a meeting and his decision shall be final.
Section 17. Powers of the Board
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Ordinance, the Board shall have power to organise, regulate, supervise, control, develop and improve Madrasah education.
(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the power conferred by sub-section (1), the Board shall have power-
Section 18. Committees of the Board
(1) The Board shall appoint the following Committees, namely:-
(2) The composition, powers and duties of the Committees appointed under sub-section (1) shall be such as may be prescribed.
Section 19. Meetings of the Board
(1) The budget meeting of the Board shall be held on or before the 31st March every year.
(2) No business shall be transacted at any meeting of the Board unless a quorum of five members is present: Provided that no quorum shall be necessary for a meeting adjourned for want of quorum.
Section 20. Annual report and budget estimates
(1) The Registrar shall present to the budget meeting of the Board a report on the work of the Board during the last preceding financial year, together with a budget estimate showing, in the prescribed form, the anticipated income and expenditure of the Board during next succeeding financial year.
(2) The budget estimate shall, when confirmed by the Board, be forwarded to the Government for approval within such period as may be prescribed and thereupon the Government may either approve the budget estimate as submitted by the Board or make such modifications in it as the Government considers necessary after consulting the Chairman.
Section 21. Madrasah Education Fund
(1) There shall be constituted a fund to be called the Madrasah Education Fund to which shall be credited-
(2) The Madrasah Education Fund shall vest in the Board, shall be held by it in trust for the purposes of this Ordinance and shall be administered by it.
(3) All moneys payable to the credit of the Madrasah Education Fund shall forthwith be deposited into a scheduled bank approved by the Board, or into Government treasury.
Section 22. Application of the Madrasah Education Fund
(1) No expenditure shall be incurred from the Madrasah Education Fund except for the purposes of this Ordinance and unless such expenditure is provided for in the budget estimate approved by the Government under section 20 or is provided for by re-appropriation by the Board. (2) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (1), the Madrasah Education Fund shall be applied to-
Section 23. Accounts
The Board shall keep accounts of all its receipts and expenditure in such manner and form as may be prescribed.
Section 24. Audit
(1) The accounts of the Board shall be submitted to the Government once every year and examined and audited by an auditor appointed by the Government.
(2) It shall be the duty of the Board, and of every member, officer and employee thereof, to afford to the auditor every facility for the examination and audit of the accounts of the Board, and to comply with a requisition made by the auditor.
Section 25. Audit report
(1) The auditor shall submit to the Government a report on the audit of accounts and shall also submit two copies of such report to the Board and thereupon the Board shall, within such period as may be prescribed, forward one copy of the report together with its observations thereon to the Government.
(2) Subject to the provisions of section 27, the Government shall take such action on the audit report as it thinks fit.
Section 26. Disallowance
(1) The auditor shall-
(2) The auditor shall, in every case of disallowance and charge under this section, certify in writing the amount due from the person against whom the charge is made and send a copy of such certificate to the Board and to the person concerned within fourteen days from the date on which the report referred to in sub-section (1) of section 25 is submitted to the Board.
Section 27. Appeal
(1) Any person from whom an auditor has certified any sum to be due under section 26 may, within one month from the date of receipt by him of a copy of the certificate, appeal against such order to the Government.
(2) The Government shall, on such appeal, make such order as it deems fit after giving the person making the appeal an opportunity of being heard and the decision of the Government on such appeal shall be final.
Section 28. Payment of certified sum
(1) Every sum certified to be due under section 26 from any person shall, within one month from the receipt by such person of a copy of the certificate and unless within that period he makes an appeal under section 27, be paid by him into the Madrasah Education Fund.
(2) The Board may direct that any sum not paid in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) or, if any appeal has been made under section 27, such sum as the Government may order to be due, shall be recovered-
(3) The Deputy Commissioner shall, for the purpose of section 4 of the Public Demands Recovery Act, 1913(Ben. Act III of 1913), be deemed to be the person to whom such demand is payable and he shall pay to the Board any sum recovered by him in respect of any such demand.
Section 29. General conditions of service of the teacher of Madrasahs
(1) An employee of an affiliated Madrasah shall be bound by the following general conditions of service, namely:-
(2) Any person who contravenes any of the conditions of service under sub-section (1) shall be liable to disciplinary action including removal from his post by an order of the authority which appointed such person on proceeding initiated against him.
(3) Any person aggrieved by an order of the authority referred to in sub-section (2) may appeal to the Chairman who may pass such order on appeal as he thinks fit and such order shall be final.
Section 30. Certain persons to be deemed to be public servants
Every member of the Board and of every Committee appointed under this Ordinance, and every person appointed for carrying out the purposes of this Ordinance, shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Penal Code (Act XLV of 1860).
Section 31. Indemnity
No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the Government or the Board or any Committee or any other person for anything in good faith done or intended to be done under this Ordinance.
Section 32. Validation
No act or proceedings taken under this Ordinance shall be invalid on the ground merely of -
Section 33. Pension and Provident Fund or Contributory Provident Fund
(1) The Board shall establish for the benefit of its officers and employees either Pension and Provident Funds or Contributory Provident Fund only as it may deem fit in such manner, and subject to such conditions, as may be prescribed.
(2) In case the Board establishes a Contributory Provident Fund under sub-section (1), all officers and employees of the Board shall subscribe to that Fund a sum equal to 8› per cent of his salary every month and the Board shall contribute an equal amount in respect of such subscriber every month.
(3) The terms and conditions of deposits of subscriptions and contributions to the Fund and withdrawals and advances from such Fund shall be such as may be prescribed.
Section 34. Age of retirement
Except the Chairman, every officer and employee of the Board shall retire in the afternoon of the day on which he attains the age at which a Government servant retires.
Section 35. Gratuity
(1) The Board shall provide for the officers and employees meeting with untimely death or disabled by accident or illness during service, a gratuity equivalent to one month's pay for each completed year of his service under the employment of the Board.
(2) The terms and conditions of gratuity under sub-section (1) shall be such as may be prescribed.
Section 36. Members prohibited from entering into contract with the Board
No member shall enter into any contract with the Board directly or through any other person in connection with the affairs of the Board.
Section 37. Bar against membership of the Board or Committee on the persons with financial interest in the affairs of the Board
No person who has any financial interest in any book prescribed by the Board as a course of study for any examination conducted by the Board or has a financial interest as a partner or otherwise in any firm which publishes, procures or supplies any such book, shall be eligible to become a member of the Board or a Committee appointed under this Ordinance and continue as such after having acquired any such interest.
Section 38. Regulations
(1) The Board may, with the previous approval of the Government, make regulations for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this Ordinance.
(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the power conferred by sub-section (1), the Board may make regulations providing for all or any of the following matters, namely:-
10(vi) the constitution, powers and duties of the Governing Bodies of affiliated non-government Alim Madrasahs and Managing Committees of affiliated non-government Dakhil Madrasahs and Ibtedayee Madrasahs;
(xiii) manner of appointment of the officers of the Board, other than the Chairman, by the Board;
(xvii) form for showing anticipated income and expenditure of the Board and the period within which the budget estimate shall be forwarded to the Government;
(xviii) the framing of an Accounts Manual or the prescription of the manner and form of keeping accounts of receipts and expenditures of the Board;
(xxii) travelling allowance and daily allowance of the members for attending meetings of the Board and Committees;(xxiii) period within which observations of the Board on the audit report is to be furnished to the Government under section 25; and
(xxiv) all other matters which are to be or may be prescribed by regulations.
(3) All regulations made under this section shall be published in the official Gazette and shall come into force on such publication.
Section 39. First regulations
The regulations set out in the Schedule appended to this Ordinance shall, on the commencement of this Ordinance, be the first regulations of the Board and shall be deemed to have been made by the Board under section 38.
Section 40. Rules
The Committees appointed by the Board may, subject to the approval of the Board, make rules consistent with this Ordinance and the regulations-
Section 41. Transitional provision
Till such time all the members, other than the Chairman, are not nominated or appointed, the Chairman shall, subject to such general or special orders as the Government may give from time to time, exercise all the powers and perform all the duties of the Board and its Committees appointed under this Ordinance.
Section 42. Removal of difficulty
If any difficulty arises with respect to the establishment of the Board or in connection with the first meeting of the Board or otherwise in first giving effect to the provisions of this Ordinance, the Government may make any order consistent with the provisions of this Ordinance, which appears to it to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of removing the difficulty.
Section 43. Dissolution of the Madrasah Education Board, etc
Upon the establishment of the Board, the Madrasah Education Board functioning immediately before the commencement of this Ordinance, hereinafter referred to as the dissolved Board, shall stand dissolved, and upon such dissolution,-