During a parliamentary session on March 15, 2026, MP Hasanat Abdullah questioned Education Minister Ehsanul Haque Milon about the current lottery-based admission system in primary schools. Abdullah argued that the shift from merit-based admissions to a lottery process had reduced the quality of education in feeder institutions and affected the supply of qualified students to universities. He asked whether the government planned to revise the system.

In response, Minister Milon acknowledged the importance of the issue and said it required broad discussion. He explained that Bangladesh’s education system operates differently in rural and urban areas, with competition being less intense in rural institutions. The minister noted that the previous government had introduced the lottery system to address urban admission complexities, but he personally found it unjustified. He added that the admission procedure for the next academic year would be decided after consultations with relevant stakeholders.

The parliamentary session began at 11 a.m. and included other scheduled discussions such as the president’s address and matters of public importance.