Dissolved textbook committee: A threat to our inclusive future? 

The dissolution of the 10-member coordination committee to revise and amend textbooks just two weeks after its formation may not immediately halt or disrupt the revision and amendment process. 

However, it will surely have a lasting impact, as it sends a clear negative message that the current interim government is susceptible to populist demands and may, at times, compromise on policy making decisions.

The committee, formed on 15 September, was disbanded on Saturday by an order of the Secondary and Higher Education Division.

It came amid criticism and discussions about two of its members, Dhaka University academics Dr Kamrul Hasan Mamun and Dr Samina Luthfa, who faced accusations of holding "anti-Islam" beliefs. 

Rakhal Raha, an author and education researcher who was one of the committee's coordinators, clarified that they were not directly involved in the process. He also said that the "process is now nearly complete," in spite of the dissolution of the coordination committee. 

Raha explained that the revision and amendment of textbook content were being carried out by subject-specific experts, as is done every year. Their role was limited to supervising, advising, and overseeing the overall coordination of the process.

"The coordination committee has been dissolved due to some controversies, but the overall process will still be completed as planned," he told The Business Standard.

Nevertheless, the entire ordeal sends a very wrong message about the interim government's approach to dealing with things, according to Anu Muhammad, retired professor of Economics at Jahangirnagar University. 

"It suggests to the public that this government gives in to unfair demands or blatant falsehoods, which will set a very bad precedent," he said.

Rahnuma pointed out that certain groups, which faced state repression and demonisation under the Hasina regime, are now vocally calling for an Islamic government, and secular segments of society need to carefully consider how to respond to these demands, ensuring they do not fall into the Hasina government's narrative of "jongi" (extremists) versus "secular" factions.

According to him, the coordination committee was essential due to the numerous complexities associated with the curriculum introduced by the previous government, and the newly revised textbooks could at least offer teachers and students a simpler and more rational foundation to work with for the time being. 

He also noted that while the previous curriculum did not reflect the views or desires of the general public, the inclusion of dedicated and knowledgeable individuals involved in the education system within the coordination committee—many of whom, including Dr Mamun and Dr Luthfa, actively participated in the July uprising—could help address this issue.

"It's unfortunate that the protest against their presence on the committee was mobilised by someone who was previously accused in a rape case, while another individual was associated with the S Alam Group during the previous regime," Anu Muhammad stated. 

Notably, Hefazat-e-Islam leader Mamunul Haque had earlier pointed at the two said academics as "haters of Islam" and demanded the inclusion of "Alem Ulama" (Islamic scholars) in the committee.

Chairman of As Sunnah Foundation, Ahmadullah had also sarcastically written on his verified Facebook page, "Identified religious haters will decide what the children of religious people will read!"

Also last Thursday, a human chain under the banner of 'Conscious Civil Society' was attended by several Islamic leaders, including Hefazat Naib-e-Amir Maulana Ahmad Ali Kasem, Joint Secretary General of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Maulana Jalal Uddin Yunus, President of Jamaat-e-Islami Ulama Parishad Dr Khalilur Rahman Madani, Khatib Mufti Saiful Islam of Dhanmondi Taqwa Mosque and others.

Speakers in the human chain said Professor Mamun had made various statements against social and religious values ​​in his class and on social media, while Samina Luthfa is "an activist of distorted ideology in the name of homosexuality and gender freedom."

They stated that if those two individuals were not removed from the textbook revision committee and if Islamic scholars were not included within seven days, a strict programme would be announced, which would include surrounding the NCTB (National Curriculum and Textbook Board) office.

It is widely assumed that the opposition from these religious leaders led to the dissolution of the committee, despite education and planning advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud providing a different explanation. 

He claimed to the media that informal discussions had taken place regarding the coordination of revising and amending textbooks, and that the issuance of the gazette was a mistake that created confusion. As a result, the committee was dissolved.

It's difficult to accept this explanation, as all signs point in one direction: the government's yielding to radical threats, which has also been criticised by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).

"The interim government is compromising by succumbing to the propaganda and threats posed by self-interested factions," said TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman in a press release on Monday. 

"A troubling example of this is the cancellation of the coordination committee to amend and revise textbooks, which not only represents a concession to fundamentalism and communalism but also betrays the very aspirations of 'New Bangladesh' for a non-discriminatory, non-communal, and democratic future," he added.

Notably, this is not the first time a Bangladeshi government has capitulated to the demands of Islamists regarding the school-level textbooks.

Under the Awami League government, Bangladesh's Education Ministry was set to print the 2017 editions of its standard Bengali textbooks when Hefazat-e-Islam demanded revisions in 29 sections. 

In a surprising turn of events, the ministry indeed acquiesced to these demands, leading many to perceive it as an attempt by the Hasina administration to appease Islamist groups.

Changes appeared as early as first grade in alphabet books. The word 'Ol', a type of yam, was replaced with 'Orna', a scarf traditionally worn by girls as they reach adolescence.

Among the essays removed from textbooks for grades six to 10 was 'Somoy Gele Sadhon Hobe Na', by the Bauls, a mystic group from Bangladesh and parts of India who believe the soul is the dwelling place of God and follow the teachings of the late mystic, Lalon Fakir.

Also removed were excerpts from an adaptation of the Hindu epic Ramayana, written for children by Upendrakishore Roy Chowdhury, and Lalu, a popular novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.

Even earlier this year, the now-ousted Hasina government faced significant backlash over a story titled 'Sharifa's Tale', which aimed to raise awareness of the Hijra community among students. Ultimately, the Awami League administration chose to remove that section from the Class 7 textbook.

Anu Muhammad questioned if the early signs of this government's vulnerability to radical threats indicate that the overall education system will remain stagnant like the time of the previous Awami League regime.

On the other hand, writer and human rights activist Rahnuma Ahmed emphasised that the interim government's attempts in revising a textbook is a part of larger political, ideological and moral questions. We should not have a narrow, sectarian, ostrich-like vision, she observed. 

Pointing to the Hindutva-aligned government in India - which has been in power for several years and has targeted Muslims through policies like citizenship laws and acts of violence such as lynchings - Rahnuma said  it is crucial for various groups in Bangladesh to have the foresight to avoid electing a government that could become the reverse—a "Muslimatvabadi" government. 

She warned that such a government could endanger the lives of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh as well as Muslim minorities in India. 

"That would be disastrous. And for that we need a political and social culture that is tolerant. Sheikh Hasina's fascist government was very divisive, it had weaponised identities like Razakar vs Muktijoddha. We need to hang on to the spirit of the July mass uprising, which was beautifully inclusive," Rahnuma said. 

At the same time, Rahnuma pointed out that certain groups, which faced state repression and demonisation under the Hasina regime, are now vocally calling for an Islamic government, and secular segments of society need to carefully consider how to respond to these demands, ensuring they do not fall into the Hasina government's narrative of "jongi" (extremists) versus "secular" factions.

She also cautioned against feeding into Western Islamophobia, especially considering the current situation in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, other controversies surrounding the dissolved committee also emerged. 

Faculty members from the Institute of Education and Research of Dhaka University, Rajshahi University, Chattogram University, Jagannath University, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh Open University, BRAC University, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Digital University, and other universities expressed their concerns in a formal statement issued last week.

They emphasised that qualified educators are crucial for the effective analysis and revision of educational materials that shape the future of the nation's students.

"The success of educational reforms hinges on the inclusion of specialists who have dedicated their careers to curriculum studies," the statement read, adding that without the insight of experienced professionals, the committee risked undermining its own goals.

Saifuzzaman Rana, an education development worker, asserted that it was indeed necessary to include a curriculum expert in the coordination committee. 

"If the education system is to be reformed, it is essential to consult with experts. Textbook revision is not the foundational level of reform," he stated.

He explained that the curriculum, teaching methods, education policy, and the country's constitution are all interconnected, and only someone with direct expertise in education can understand these relationships and offer the necessary recommendations.

"To avoid controversies, such an expert should have been included in the committee," Rana said.

He also called for an education commission to modernise Bangladesh's curriculum, improve teaching standards, address institutional inefficiencies, and ensure inclusive, high-quality education that meets contemporary and global needs.

"It is the need of the time for a long-term education reform in post-revolution Bangladesh that aligns with the anti-discriminatory spirit of the student movement," he concluded.