Unknown Name Added to July Martyrs in Textbook Sparks Controversy

Staff Reporter

The revised national textbooks for students have included the names of July martyrs, among which a name, “Nahian,” has been added. However, the name does not appear in any known list of July martyrs. Even leaders involved in anti-government movements could not verify the identity of “Nahian.”

Some allege that ruling party allies added the name of a student leader affiliated with the Bangladesh Chhatra League to the textbooks as a strategic move.

Following the uproar over the inclusion, authorities acted quickly to correct the information. The name “Nahian” was removed from the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) website’s online textbook version and replaced with “Nafisa.”

Meanwhile, NCTB has struggled to complete the printing of textbooks for primary and secondary levels. Out of 410 million textbooks planned for distribution, only 60 million have reached students.

Since 2010, the government has traditionally handed out textbooks on the first day of the academic year. However, this year, the interim government failed to uphold that practice.

NCTB Chairman Professor AKM Riazul Hasan stated during an event at the Ministry of Education that 441 textbooks for primary and secondary levels have been revised and are now available online. He promised all primary-level books and eight secondary-level books would reach students by January 5. Additionally, tenth-grade books are expected by January 10, with books for all grades distributed by January 20.

Education Adviser Professor Wahiduddin Mahmud expressed regret for the delay, apologizing to students and parents for failing to deliver the books on time. In Rangpur, Regional Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Deputy Director Md. Abdur Rashid urged students to access textbooks through the NCTB website, download them, and print copies if necessary. This suggestion has drawn significant criticism.