The meeting titled 'Corporate engagement and government facilitation: Corporate social responsibility for quality basic education' was organised by Bangladesh Parliamentary Caucus on Education in co-operation with People's Empowerment Trust (PET), Advancing Public Interest Trust (APIT) and MRC-MODE at the National Press Club in the city.

Although the business houses and other benevolent persons have long been contributing to the spread of education in the country, the culture of corporate responsibility is yet to be popularised here, said General Member of APIT Maliha Shaha while presenting her paper on 'Corporate Engagement and Government Facilitation: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Education.'

PET Research Co-ordinator Moin Uddin Ashraf in another paper titled 'CSR and parliamentarians' role: A way forward' said the business houses can form 'umbrella group' for their co-ordinated efforts to turn country's youth into skilled manpower.

The government, on the other hand, should amend and eventually make laws to assist business corporations in their activities on quality education, he suggested.

He also laid emphasis on specific government policies and suggested formation of regulatory body to supervise corporate house-sponsored activities on education.

As incentive for business houses that contribute to education sector, Nazmuzzaman Bhuiyan of Dhaka University in his paper propounded for tax exemption.

As recognition of their contribution he also suggested giving award to the highest contributing house in the sector.

The government should specify the core areas of education first and then welcome the business houses to come forward to work in those particular areas, said Prof Muzaffer Ahmad, an eminent economist.

Vice-chairperson of Parliamentary Caucus on Education Faruk Khan MP urged the NGO-people to launch social movement against all evils prevailing in the society.

State Minister for Education A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon said the parliamentary caucus on education is first of its kind in the world.

With members from all political parties the caucus has been formed to forge united movement to ensure education for all, he added.

Any business house seeking name, fame and advertisement can come forward to set up new educational institutions or develop the institutions which are lagging behind, he said, adding, "The government would make necessary arrangement in this regard."

Chairperson of the caucus Abu Eusuf Muhammad Khalilur Rahman MP presided over the programme which was addressed by Gulam Habib Dulu MP, Shajahan Khan MP, DR Abdur Razzaque MP, Khaleda Rabbani, Rasheda Begum Hira MP, Khelada Panna MP, Tawfique Ahmed of MRC-MODE, Arfan Habib of Bank Asia, Rubina Faruk and Hasina Newaz from corporate sector andabbir Bin Shams of APIT.