Zakir Hossain / Dhaka
Bangladesh’s National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has introduced major revisions to school textbooks for the 2025 academic year, altering historical narratives on the country’s independence, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s role, and India’s contribution to the 1971 Liberation War. The changes come after Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in August 2024, reflecting a shift in Bangladesh’s official history under the interim government.
One of the most controversial revisions is the removal of Mujibur Rahman’s title as ‘Father of the Nation’ and the reassignment of credit for Bangladesh’s independence declaration. The new textbooks now state that Ziaur Rahman declared independence on March 26, 1971, and later made another announcement on behalf of Mujib on March 27. NCTB Chairman Professor AKM Reazul Hassan defended the changes, saying, “There is no fact-based evidence that Mujib sent a wireless message declaring independence while being arrested by the Pakistani army.”
The role of India in 1971 has also been revised. While the Indian Army’s and Mukti Bahini’s contributions remain, two historic photographs of Mujib with then-Indian PM Indira Gandhi—from a joint rally in Kolkata (February 6, 1972) and Gandhi’s visit to Dhaka (March 17, 1972)—have been removed. Additionally, textbooks now state that Bhutan, not India, was the first country to recognize Bangladesh’s independence on December 3, 1971.
Another significant change is the complete removal of Sheikh Hasina’s name from textbooks. Her traditional message to students on the back cover has been replaced with graffiti from the July 2024 uprising. A team of 57 experts, appointed by the Education Ministry, oversaw these revisions, affecting 441 textbooks across all education levels. Over 40 crore new books have been printed for the academic year.
The textbook revisions are part of a broader political shift. The interim government, led by Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, has promised elections by late 2025 or early 2026 after necessary reforms. Former PM Khaleda Zia, BNP chief, has called for national unity, warning, “Friends and allies of the fascists are hatching conspiracies. We must foil these through unwavering unity.” BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman has urged the interim government to maintain neutrality, rejecting local elections before national polls as a “smokescreen to manipulate the political landscape.”
Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina, now in self-imposed exile in India, faces an arrest warrant in Dhaka on charges of crimes against humanity. With Hasina sidelined, the BNP is expected to dominate the next elections.
Beyond textbooks, the interim government has removed Mujibur Rahman’s image from currency notes, vandalized his statues, and scrapped eight national days, including March 7 and August 15, both linked to the Liberation War.
The question of who declared Bangladesh’s independence remains deeply contested. While the interim government claims the revisions ensure historical accuracy, critics see them as politically motivated efforts to reshape national identity in a post-Hasina era.