Revising textbooks: Govt dissolves committee in face of flak

The government yesterday dissolved a committee formed earlier this month to revise the textbooks under the National Curriculum and Textbook Board.
The decision came against the backdrop of sharp criticisms from some quarters for not including Islamic scholars in the 10-member coordination committee for revision of books for primary and secondary schools.
They had also been calling for the exclusion of two members — Samina Luthfa and Kamrul Hassan, both teachers of Dhaka University — for what they said was their anti-religion stance.
Over the last one week, the groups have been writing extensively on social media against the two, while others pledged their support for the teachers.
Samina and Kamrul are members of University Teachers’ Network, which played a significant role in the mass uprising that led to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina government on August 5.
A member of the now-disbanded committee, requesting anonymity, said the government showed that it would bow down if a quarter made such demands.
Moreover, by branding the two as anti-religion, the groups have put the teachers at “very real risk” of being attacked, said the former member.
“They are already being told to avoid public transport and being outdoors alone. Who will take the responsibility if the teachers are now attacked?” asked the former member.
Rushad Faridi, assistant professor of economics at DU, said those who were not happy with the committee could raise questions about the competence of individuals in the committee.
“But they are simply terming certain members ‘anti-religion’ and demanding that they be dropped. These claims are creating instability and conflict in society. These teachers are already cancelling prescheduled events due to safety concerns,” he said.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on September 22 urged the interim government to include in the national textbook review and revision committee at least two Islamic scholars: one from Alia madrasa background and another from Qawmi.
Islami Andolon Bangladesh also demanded inclusion of Islamic scholars in the committee.
Asked if the government disbanded the committee because of the pressure, NCTB Chairman Prof AKM Reazul Hassan said, “I have no knowledge of the matter. But disbanding the committee will not affect the NCTB’s task of revising the textbooks.”
The government formed the committee as the NCTB decided to discontinue the new national curriculum and restore the old one from 2025.
Contacted last night, Education Adviser Prof Wahiduddin Mahmud said, “We dissolved this committee because there was no need for such a committee.”
Specialists from both Islamic and general streams of education are at the final stage of revising the textbooks.
“We have not dissolved the committee because of anyone’s demand,” he added.
Sheikh Abdur Rashid, senior secretary at the Secondary and Higher Education Division, said textbook revision was a continuous process and there was no need for a coordination committee.
He added that the government is not likely to form any such committee in  near future.
The NCTB is responsible for the development of curriculums, production and distribution of textbooks at primary and secondary education.
Earlier in June this year, the NCTB removed a story titled “Sharifa’s Tale” from the 7th grade history and social science book amid criticisms from Islamist groups.
In February 2023, it dropped two textbooks “History and Social Science: An Inquiry-based Reader” for 6th and 7th graders, giving in to the pressure from different Islamist groups that said the books were promoting the “debatable” Darwin’s theory of evolution and demeaning the Islamic attire for women.
An NCTB official said no textbooks have been fully withdrawn since at least 2010.
In 2017, writings of famous authors were dropped because Islamists disliked them, said a former NCTB member, who was involved in the process. He added the exclusions were done on instructions from “higher authorities”.