Bangladesh: Govt withdraws two text books amid controversy over content
11-02-2023 : The government of Bangladesh has withdrawn two textbooks of classes 6 and 7 amid controversy over the content of the books. The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NTCB) announced on Friday that it is withdrawing the textbooks in view of the criticism over their content.
The books introduced under the new curriculum were criticized for plagiarism, factual mistakes, and spelling mistakes. Moreover, Islamist groups like Islami Andolan Bangladesh demanded that Darwin’s theory of evolution should be dropped from the textbooks as it contradicts the scriptures. Also, it alleged that the books contain a derogatory and demeaning reference to the Islamic veil system. The Islamic Andolan also objected to the depiction of bearded men wearing skull caps as collaborators of the Pakistan army during the 1971 liberation war.
While the government maintained that the contents did not contradict the teachings of Islam and called it propaganda, it formed two committees to look into the content of the textbooks and suggest remedial measures. The committee hasn’t submitted its report yet.
Several academics and scholars have opposed the decision to withdraw textbooks. Talking to Prasar Bharti, Ekushey Padak winner, Dhaka University Professor Emeritus Serajul Islam Chowdhury said that the government has bowed to political pressure and it is not an academic decision. He said the teaching of Darwin’s theory of evolution to Bangladesh students is a scientific thing and there should be no compromise on it. Prof. Abdur Razzaque Khan of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Dhaka University said that the decision has been taken under pressure and there is no relation between religion and science.
Earlier, in 2017 also, the hardline Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam had demanded changes in textbooks. It claimed that the textbooks contained writings whose text was inappropriate for a Muslim-majority country. Subsequently, several poems and stories were removed from the textbooks including Rabindranath Tagore’s poem ‘Bangladesher Hridoy’, Wazed Ali’s travelogue, Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s ‘Lalu’ and ‘Shomoy Gele Shadhon Hobe na’ by Sufi Saint Lalon Shah.
