‘Sharifa’s Tale’: Probe body to review content of textbook

The education ministry yesterday formed a five-member probe committee to review "Sharifa's Tale" – a content in the seventh-grade history and social science textbook.

"Sharifa's Tale" -- a part of the "Similarities and Differences Between People" chapter -- recently became a topic of discussion and debate after a part-time teacher at a private university criticised the inclusion of content, claiming that it promoted the "trans agenda".

An office order that the ministry released yesterday said the committee will review the content and make recommendations in this regard.

The move was taken following religious and social discourse, it said.

Headed by Prof Abdul Rashid, vice chancellor of the Islamic Arabic University, the committee was asked to submit a report to the secondary and higher education division of the ministry as soon as possible.

The other members are Mufti Maulana Kafil Uddin Sarker, governor of the Islamic Foundation; Prof Moshiuzzaman, member of the NCTB; Abdul Halim, director of the Institute of Education and Research at Dhaka University; and Prof Mohammad Abdur Rashid, principal of Dhaka Alia Madrasa.

Earlier on Tuesday, Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury said any confusion over the content in a textbook will be addressed through the opinions of curriculum specialists.

"In our country, there is a tendency for certain groups to exploit religion to create anarchy and instability," he added.