Bangladesh’s Independence
Bangladesh has introduced new textbooks for primary and secondary students, which contain significant changes in the historical narrative regarding the country’s declaration of independence.
According to the newly revised textbooks, former army major and president Ziaur Rahman, rather than Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is credited with declaring Bangladesh’s independence in 1971.
The revision of the textbooks is part of an ongoing process to update the nation’s historical accounts, and it has sparked controversy, particularly in relation to the long-established role of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Bangladesh’s liberation.
Previously, Bangladesh’s textbooks emphasized that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared independence on the night of March 25, 1971, as the Pakistani military launched Operation Searchlight in East Pakistan.
This declaration was historically linked to Rahman’s leadership, and he was widely recognized as the “Father of the Nation” for his pivotal role in the independence movement.
However, in the new textbooks, the declaration is attributed to Ziaur Rahman, who, according to the revision, made the official declaration of independence on March 26, 1971, before issuing another declaration on March 27, on behalf of Bangabandhu, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was imprisoned by the Pakistani authorities.
The change in narrative also includes the removal of the title “Father of the Nation” from Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the updated texts.
The revision of these historical details has ignited debate, with critics arguing that the shift in perspective could undermine the recognition of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s role in Bangladesh’s independence.
Supporters of the Awami League, the political party led by the family of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, maintain that he should remain acknowledged as the true declarer of independence, while Ziaur Rahman merely conveyed the declaration following his arrest.
Rakhal Raha, a writer and researcher involved in the revision process, explained that the goal was to create textbooks free from what he described as “exaggerated, imposed history.”
Raha and his colleagues argued that the previous assertion that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman sent the wireless message declaring independence was not based on factual evidence, thus prompting the revision.
The changes to the textbooks align with shifts in political perspectives, as they are often influenced by the government in power, leading to differing historical narratives depending on the ruling party’s stance.
The new textbooks, which were distributed to students at the start of the new academic year on January 1, 2025, reflect these revised historical accounts.
National Curriculum and Textbook Board Chairman Professor AKM Reazul Hassan clarified that these updates were made after careful consideration and were designed to reflect what he termed a more fact-based history.
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