Abstract
Since 9/11, there has been a worldwide upsurge in studies on the role of religious actors in the education sector across the Muslim world. In the context of Bangladesh, a plethora of literature examined the role of state supported institutions and NGOs in providing educational provision to the students, but relatively little attention has been paid on the role of faith-based religious schools such as Qawmi education system in providing public education. However, the method applied in this current study was analytic and descriptive to deal with the secondary data. This study concludes with two core arguments. First, the Qawmi education system is playing a significant role in enhancing the capability of a large segment of the impoverished people. At the same time, the study acknowledges the potential problematic side of this education in a setting where the education, in many cases, creates segregation and friction. Second, Islamic actors are serving as bridging factor for grass root level education where the state is unable or not willing to reach.
Keywords: Religious Actors, Education, Non-state actor, Bangladesh