New textbooks will say Ziaur Rahman declared independence

The new textbooks for primary and secondary students will now state that Ziaur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh in 1971.

Earlier, the books mentioned that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made the declaration.

The new textbooks, which will have several changes, are currently being printed and will be distributed among the students from today (January 1).

"The new textbooks for the 2025 academic year will state that 'on March 26, 1971, Ziaur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh, and on March 27, he made another declaration of independence on behalf of Bangabandhu'."

— - NCTB Chairman Reazul Hassan

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Since 2010, a year after Sheikh Hasina came to power for the second time, the textbooks had mentioned that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared independence via a wireless message just before he was arrested by the Pakistan army on March 26, 1971.

Prof AKM Reazul Hassan, chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board, said the new textbooks for the 2025 academic year will state that "on March 26, 1971, Ziaur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh, and on March 27, he made another declaration of independence on behalf of Bangabandhu".

The information has been included in the free textbooks where the matter of the declaration was mentioned, he added.

Writer and researcher Rakhal Raha, who was involved in the process of making changes in the textbooks, said they tried to free the textbooks from "exaggerated, imposed history".

"Those who revised the textbooks found that it wasn't a fact-based information that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman sent the wireless message [declaring independence] while being arrested by the Pakistani army, and so they decided to remove it."

Earlier, in the textbooks of classes one to 10, the information on who made the declaration of independence was changed according to the government in power.

It is widely believed among supporters of Awami League that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had made the announcement, and that Ziaur Rahman, who was an army major and later a sector commander of the Liberation War, merely read out the declaration upon Mujib's instructions.

Meanwhile, supporters of BNP believe their party founder and also former president of the country Ziaur had made the declaration.

Former NCTB officials said that when AL was in power from 1996-2001, the textbooks stated Sheikh Mujib made the declaration of independence and Ziaur Rahman read out the announcement. On the other hand, when the BNP was in power from 2001-2006, it was stated that Ziaur had made the declaration.

They, however, could not recall what was written in the textbooks before 1996.

Whether the change will spark new debates considering the difference of beliefs, Reazul said, "Of course not… This isn't a matter related to Awami League or BNP. This is a national issue. We want to give due recognition to individuals like Maulana Bhashani and Tajuddin Ahmed, who also played significant roles in the Liberation War.

"We're trying to make sure that focusing on factual representation remains consistent."

The former NCTB officials also pointed out that though the authorities in power kept changing the name of who declared independence, the constitution, in which Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is mentioned as the "Father of the Nation", included the telegram of the Declaration of Independence of Bangladesh made by Bangabandhu on March 26, 1971, in the sixth schedule.

The constitution also included the Proclamation of Independence of the Mujibnagar Government on April 10, 1971, in the seventh schedule.

It says, "Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the undisputed leader of 75 million of people of Bangladesh, in due fulfilment of the legitimate right of self-determination of the people of Bangladesh, duly made a declaration of independence at Dacca on March 26, 1971, and urged the people of Bangladesh to defend the honour and integrity of Bangladesh...."

NCTB Chair Reazul said the telegram was introduced in the constitution through an amendment. "The documents of the Liberation War, the then Indian leaders, and the first post-independence documentary prepared by the then information ministry show evidence in favour of Ziaur Rahman making the declaration."

In this regard, Rakhal Raha said, "The constitution can be amended through a two-third majority. You can do anything if you have that kind of [backing by] a majority. Any immoral act can't be justified by the constitution. The truth is above the constitution."

It is to be noted that among the changes in the textbooks, the NCTB has also removed the title "Father of the Nation" with regard to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.