Bangladesh’s interim government has revised the national curriculum, replacing Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with General Ziaur Rahman as the nation’s founding figure. The move, it says, aims to correct historical inaccuracies in school textbooks.
According to the National Curriculum and Textbook Board, the updated texts assert that Ziaur Rahman was the first to proclaim Bangladesh’s independence on March 26, 1971, through Bangla Radio.
Sheikh Mujib’s formal announcement of independence on March 27 is also mentioned but recontextualised. The curriculum changes come after Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule ended last year in the wake of student protests. Critics have long accused Hasina’s government of manipulating historical narratives to align with her political legacy, The Daily Star newspaper said.
Rokhl Raha, a researcher involved in revising the curriculum, stated that the previous textbooks contained exaggerated accounts that needed correction. He added, “Our goal was to provide fact-based narratives free of political bias.” The revisions might reignite political tensions.
Supporters of Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh’s independence movement, consider him the Father of the Nation. Meanwhile, Ziaur Rahman’s advocates argue he not only declared independence but later rescued the country from Mujib’s pro-India policies.
The curriculum changes mark a significant shift in Bangladesh’s approach to teaching its tumultuous history.
