NCTB Dissolves Textbook Revision Committee Amid Controversy And Criticism

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has dissolved the coordination committee formed to revise and amend all textbooks amid criticism.

This announcement was made today, Saturday (September 28), in an official order signed by Mohammad Yanur Rahman, Senior Assistant Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division.

The order stated that the Ministry of Education had established the coordination committee on September 15 to ensure the smooth completion and coordination of the revision and amendment process for all textbooks created and printed by the NCTB. However, this committee has now been dissolved.

Prior to this, the committee, led by Additional Secretary Dr. K.M. Kabirul Islam, consisted of 11 members and was formed to address controversies surrounding the inclusion of certain topics perceived as contrary to religious values in textbooks for secondary and higher secondary education.

Additionally, the political affiliations of some committee members and allegations of religious bias have sparked renewed controversy. Several Islamist organizations demanded the inclusion of experts and scholars in religious matters within the committee.

Sheikh Ahmadullah, an Islamic speaker, issued a stern warning on September 27, claiming the committee included individuals with a history of religious bias. He expressed concern on social media, stating that it is a betrayal of martyrs for identified religious bigots to determine what children of devout families should learn.