Controversial changes in school curriculum

Last year was a tumultuous one for Bangladesh, with student movements and protests that led to the end of the rule of the Awami League party and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Subsequently, an Islamic government took over, attempting to erase all traces of the Awami League and Bangabandhu Mujibur Rahman. Now there is news that efforts are being made to change the pages of history in Bangladesh, in which the history of the liberation war of 1971 will be given a new shape.

The Daily Star According to the report, it will now be written in the new textbooks of Bangladesh that the country’s independence was declared not by ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, but by Ziaur Rahman. Along with this, Mujib will also be stripped of his status as ‘Father of the Nation’. Chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board of Bangladesh, Professor A K M Rejul Hasan, said that the new books for the 2025 academic year will mention that on March 26, 1971, Ziaur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh and on March 27, he declared Bangabandhu. This announcement was made once again.

inheritance dispute

There has always been a political dispute between Ziaur Rahman, who was the founder of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and husband of Khaleda Zia, and Mujib, who led the Bangladesh Liberation War. The Awami League claims that Mujib declared independence, while the BNP gives the credit to its founder.

History of changes in textbooks

This is not the first time such changes have been made in Bangladesh’s textbooks. The history was also officially changed in 1978 during Ziaur’s reign. After coming to power in 2009, Sheikh Hasina also changed history.

Reason for tampering with history

The BNP and other anti-Awami parties have significant influence in the interim government, which has targeted Mujib and his legacy. The recent incidents of desecration of Mujib’s statue and burning of his house in Dhaka provide a background for this change. Apart from this, there were also reports of Mujib’s pictures being removed from the notes of Bangladesh.