Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel said on Monday that if there is anything confusing in the new textbooks, it will be corrected. He urged everyone to refrain from unhealthy politics in the name of opposing the curriculum. He said participation of madrasa teachers in the National Curriculum and Textbook Board will be ensured. As a result, they will be able to give their opinions and contribute to the textbooks prepared for madrasas. What BRAC University says about Asif Mahtab The minister was speaking at a view exchange meeting with the Swadhinata Madrasa Teachers' Council at the International Mother Language Institute in the capital on Monday. The minister highlighted the centuries-long tradition of discussing Islamic philosophy in the country's Aliya madrasas in this subcontinent. He emphasized that the new curriculum, aligned with Islamic education, has been warmly received by students and parents. He further mentioned that the new curriculum is skill-oriented and will assist madrasa students in entering the job market without any conflict with religious values. DPS STS Dhaka organises STEAM Carnival to promote innovation Nowfel emphasized that after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has played the most significant role in the development of religious education. The government has not only constructed 18 madrasa buildings but also enrolled a significant number of madrasas under the MPO (Monthly Pay Order) system, he informed. JnU student Khadija discharged from one DSA case During the meeting, the Secretary of the Ministry of Religious and Madrasa Education, Dr. Farid Uddin Ahmed, stated that madrasa students study religious subjects alongside the national curriculum. Therefore, they are actively contributing to various fields while maintaining harmony with the mainstream. Habibur Rahman, Director-General of the Department of Madrasa Education, and Dr Abdul Rashid, Vice-Chancellor of the Islamic Arabic University, were present at the time, among others.

Bangladesh's Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel today (January 23, 2024) addressed the media regarding the ongoing controversy over a story featured in a textbook. “We plan to consult with experts about the story of Sharifa discussed in the textbook. If there's any confusion or misrepresentation, changes will be made,” Chowdhury told reporters at the Secretariat. The story of Sharifa previously sparked debate, and currently, some are protesting over its content. The Education Minister emphasized the need for a thorough discussion with National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) to understand why the story is eliciting such reactions. Read more: UGC team investigates IU VC’s corruptions in teacher recruitment He expressed concern about certain groups’ tendency to exploit religious sentiments and instigate instability and anarchy in the country, and said, “A few days ago, some recommendations were given to me from an organization. Some Qawmi madrasa teachers claimed that the word ‘transgender’ has been used in the textbook. However, upon examination, it was clarified that the term used was ‘third gender’.” “In our society, third gender individuals, commonly known as ‘Hijra,’ are legally recognized citizens with rights," Minister Chowdhury clarified. He further added, “If the presentation of the story leads to misunderstandings and controversies, we will discuss with experts whether we can modify its presentation while respecting the dignity of the third gender individuals. This is a specialized issue, and we don’t want to comment at a policy level.” Responding to a question about the BRAC University controversy, the Education Minister said, “We will discuss this matter with BRAC University and understand the issue through the University Grants Commission, following which a detailed discussion will be held.” Read more: Govt changes class schedule for primary schools due to cold wave

National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has provided corrections for nine mistakes they found in three of the textbooks distributed for this year. NCTB issued a notification in this regard on January 15 and posted the corrections on their website. The mistakes were spotted in three textbooks of classes 9-10. Four mistakes were found in the ‘History of Bangladesh and World Civilization’, three in ‘Bangladesh and Global Studies’ while two in ‘Civics and Citizenships’. Read more: Zafar Iqbal admits plagiarism charge in new textbook, expresses disappointment NCTB provided all the corrections in detail on their website. Earlier, eminent writer and academic Md Zafar Iqbal and Professor Hasina Khan have expressed their disappointment over the plagiarised contents found in the new class 7 science textbook edited by themselves. The writers associated with editing the book also accepted their responsibility in a statement issued on Monday. As part of the new curriculum from this year, science textbooks for classes 6 and 7 have been printed and distributed to students as 'Anusandhani Path'. In an article published in the daily Prothom Alo, a complaint was raised over copying some sections of this book from the National Geographic educational site. Read more: NCTB chair, member again summoned over distortion of history in textbooks “Comparing this particular part of the book and the same text on the website, the allegation appears to us to be true,” they said in the statement.

Addressing the deep moral schisms that the pandemic has exposed in Bangladeshi society, speakers on Thursday said educating the younger generation on morality and ethics should be prioritised in textbooks.