MPs must use local schools, hospitals: Rumeen Farhana

Independent lawmaker Rumeen Farhana today (7 May) said the government should ensure that the children of members of parliament (MPs) study at educational institutions in their respective constituencies.

“If not, at least they should attend their zilla (district) school,” she said while speaking at a dialogue titled “Government Priorities and the Education Sector: Budget and Reality”, organised by Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Agargaon.

Rumeen said, “Since I am the MP of Sarail, my children must study at the zilla school in Sarail.”

She also said MPs should receive healthcare services from local hospitals. “I had promised during my election campaign that I would receive treatment in my local area, and I am keeping that promise,” she added.

“If I suffer from a serious illness, I will go no further than the district hospital,” she said.

Rumeen argued that making such practices mandatory for lawmakers would change the political landscape. “If this is made compulsory for MPs, you will see many candidates, especially loan defaulters, disappear from the election race,” she said.

The independent MP also stressed the need to improve teachers’ salaries, saying better pay would help ensure quality education.

“If we can address the issue of teachers’ salary structures, the country will at least get qualified teachers,” she said.

Rumeen Farhana further said it is time for successive governments in Bangladesh to significantly increase allocations for the education and health sectors.