Government’s compromise with fundamentalism is concerning: TIB

It highlights the risks of appeasing fundamentalist forces

Transparency International Bangladesh, or TIB, has expressed concern over the government's decision to dissolve the committee formed for the revision and amendment of textbooks, labelling it as a compromise with fundamentalist threats.

Describing the government's decision as ‘concerning and dangerous’, the organisation said in a statement the cancellation contradicts the dream of a discrimination-free ‘new Bangladesh’ and reflects the interim government's compromising behaviour.

On Sept 15, the education ministry formed a 10-strong coordination committee to ensure the revision and amendment of all textbooks prepared and printed by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board, or NCTB.

The committee was headed by KM Kabirul Islam, additional secretary of the education ministry, and included education researcher Rakhal Raha, Professor Kamrul Hasan Mamun from the physics department at Dhaka University, Professor Mohammad Azam from the Bengali department, and Associate Professor Samina Lutfa Nitra from the sociology department, additional secretary Masud Akhtar Khan from the primary and mass education ministry, NCTB Chairman AKM Riazul Hasan, NCTB Curriculum Committee Member Rabiul Kabir Chowdhury, and NCTB Primary Curriculum Member AFM Sarwar Jahan.

Secondary and Higher Education Division Senior Assistant Secretary Md Yanur Rahman served as the committee’s member secretary.

Concerns were raised about members Raha, Nitra, and Mamun from various organisations and social media, leading to the committee's dissolution.

Amidst the discussions and criticisms, the Secondary and Higher Education Division cancelled the committee on Saturday.

TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said, “We are alarmed by the growing efforts to create an atmosphere of fear and threat through the spread of slander, malice and hatred against non-communal consciousness and pluralism."

He added that the caretaker administration is yielding to the threats of self-serving groups.

The TIB chief said the cancellation of the textbook revision committee is a troubling example of the government’s compromise with fundamentalism and communalism.

He said, “The ‘new Bangladesh’ should be free from discrimination, secular, transparent, accountable, and well-governed, where no ideology is imposed on anyone.”

He continued, “The foundational basis of the interim government's power lies in the pluralism, inclusion, equal rights, and secular ideals of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement.”

“TIB hopes that by staying committed to these principles, the government will fulfil its responsibility for state reform and firmly reject any compromise with communal and fundamentalist forces,” he concluded.