Visiting US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith A McHale yesterday said religious leadership is key to success in every effort for socio-economic development.

McHale said this while she was exchanging views with Anwar Hossain Molla, principal of Uttar Badda Islamia Kamil Madrasa at Gulshan in the city.

Joe Mellott, Andrew Cedar and Corley Kenna -- three other members of the delegation -- were present. Director of The American Centre, Dhaka, Lauren Lovelace, Programme Development Adviser of the US Embassy Sabreea S Rahman and officials of the embassy accompanied the delegation.

Briefing about the madrasa's educational programmes, Anwar said students of the institution have been grooming up with modern education together with religious morality.

Side by side with the existing education, he said, many a number of motivational programmes such as HIV/AIDS, basic literacy, human resource development and ICT are among the programmes of the madrasa.

Asked whether any English language course is being conducted in the madrasa, the madrasa principal said the students are learning the essential English lesson though Language Proficiency Centre (LPC), a US-funded micro-scholarship programme.

McHale Judith termed the education as an investment for future and said learning English has become inevitable for students to cope with the present world order.

Skill development in English encourages students to study in the world's reputed colleges and universities, she said.

Attaching high emphasis on multi-diverse training for students, she said teachers' training also have a multiple impact on overall education.

Responding to a query on the role of religious leaders to check militancy and terrorism, she said terrorism and militancy became common enemies in the world. The madrasa students would be able to root out the menaces by equipping themselves with modern education, she hoped.

"There is an ample scope to work Bangladesh and the US for ensuring peace and maintaining security and strengthening the democracy," said McHale.