Chapter One Diverse Streams and Realization of Right to Education in Bangladesh: Bangladesh: A Glance into the Idea 1.1 Prelude Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development Kofi Annan Right to Education in Bangladesh has been manifest in multiple dimensions, being divided into formal and informal. Education had been viewed as a key to a better future, a vital tool for development. Education was a priority for the State since its very inception. In attaining the goal of realizing education for all the citizens, the State spread the avenue to many quarters, leading to multiple dimensions of education opportunities. The numerous streams and mediums of education in Bangladesh has been an issue of extensive discussion, debate and sceptical controversy for quite a long period of time. Right to education as a human right was formally incorporated in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR 1948)1, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) 19662 (art 13) and other later instruments. The ICESCR in its General Comment on art 13 specifically mentions that Right to Education has four basic components and characteristics 3 , amongst which one is accessibility. This element involves the right to choose the type of education received.4 Accessibility to education includes the freedom of choice to decide the streams of education offered in a given State. 1 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted 10 December 1948 UNGA Res 217 A(III) (UDHR) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (adopted 16 December 1966, entered into force 3 January 1976) 993 UNTS 3 General Comment No.13 of CESCER has enunciated four core component of Right to education, namely: Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Adaptability, See, CESCR General Comment No. 13: The Right to Education (Art. 13) (adopted on 8 December 1999) ‘The Right to Education’(Module 16 of ‘Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Activism: A Training Resource) <http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/IHRIP/circle/modules/module16.htm> accessed 25 May 2014 2 3 4 Page | 8