Eminent citizens, the Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB), the Udichi and progressive social and political organisations have come down heavily on the interim government for dissolution of the 10-member coordination committee it formed for revising the primary and secondary school textbooks. Their common complaint is that the incumbent government has given in to the unreasonable demands of certain religious groups. Roundly condemning the dissolution of the textbook revision committee, 122 eminent citizens have observed that a particular quarter has taken over the vacuum left by Awami fascism and to do so, it has made religion a weapon to advance their dubious agenda. They elaborate that the quarter has been creating confusion and intolerance among the religious-minded Muslims by circulating anti-Islamic propaganda. Such activities are inimical to the aspiration germinated out of the student-led mass movement for establishment of an inclusive society.
The TIB also did not mince words and stated that the incident of compromise on textbook revision made by the interim government with narrow fundamentalism has set an example of deep concerns and risks. This compromise, the TIB alleges, runs counter to the dream of a discrimination-free new Bangladesh and the spirit of secularism. Notably, the education ministry constituted the committee on September 15 last, aimed at revising the primary and secondary school-level textbooks. Following the formation of the committee, some Islamist political parties including the Jama-e-Islam and Hefazat-e-Islam demanded induction of two alems (Islamic wise person) into the committee and at the same time exclusion of two teachers of Dhaka University, one of whom was involved with the quota movement from the beginning. Some religious outfits also arranged for a human chain, calling for exclusion of those two teachers from the committee. The government opted for the dissolution instead of sticking to its decision.
Earlier the education ministry acquiesced to some higher secondary examinees' demand for cancellation of examinations for the papers that could not be held on schedule because of the quota-reform-turned anti-discrimination movement. Now candidates of BA, BSc and BCom are demanding auto pass. This is contradictory to the spirit of the movement. It was a movement that could gain momentum to reach its summit with people from different walks of life joining forces setting their sight on a discrimination-free socio-economic order. Their main focus was not on furthering self interests, changing a regime for the sake of change but transforming the administrative power structure in favour of protecting and preserving interests of all including the poor and the marginalised. The dispensation they were looking forward to ought to be caring enough to carry forward the agenda of socio-economic justice irrespective of class, colour, religious belief and gender.
It is only natural that tension would brew if the driving force behind the movement is taken off-track. Traditional political parties, particularly those who mix politics and religion to the negation of democratic and liberal ideals and principles have no reasons to align with the core principle of the student-led movement. No wonder, they are parting ways. Now the question is, how devoutly committed the leading players of the movement and the dispensation they entrusted to accomplish the mission are. Can they steer clear of the counter forces waiting in the wing either to fish in the muddy water or snatch the fruits of the unprecedented movement in history?
Why the religious parties are clamouring for a share in the contents of textbooks is understandable. The Hefazat successfully opposed some pieces in Bangla textbooks in favour of inclusion of their chosen pieces during Hasina's reign. Political expediency has never really helped develop an education system capable of maintaining quality on a par neither with its counterparts in the developed world nor with the Asia's including the neighbours' best. Discrimination is yawning on the education front largely on the basis of different education streams including the English medium meant for learners of the privileged class and non-formal education meant for the socially deprived.
If there is one most deserving candidate for redress to the atrocious gap, it surely is education. The madrasha education is there that emphasises more on religious learning and practices. Why cannot the general education be left alone? Those imbued with the spirit of modern and liberal views of learning and life and those sticking to a conservative outlook are unlikely to have a meeting point. In this connection, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's unambiguous opinion on banning the Awami League can be quite insightful. He disagrees with the idea of barring the AL either from the national election or from banning it as a 'fascist party'. His political foresight may have given him to calculate that after all, the alliance of the religious parties can outweigh even his party's leaning towards the conventional politics free from religious stint.
Bangladesh is sure to witness pulls and counter-pulls in the days to come. The interim government has to carefully navigate through such tension-packed political miasma. There is the saving grace of the still undiminished influence of the main actors of the movement. Happily, they are cementing their network through a programme of constituting committees outside Dhaka, so will do the citizen's committee. This move may clarify their position as well as convince people of the need to pursue a dream of a new Bangladesh free from exploitation and abuse of power, guaranteeing every citizen's democratic and human rights.
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