Hefazet Islam has objected to some content and pictures in the textbooks of different classes in the new national curriculum. At the same time, the organization has made a five-point demand, including canceling all things that conflict with Islam.
Amir Shah Muhibbullah Babunagari and Secretary General Sajedur Rahman of the organization made these demands in a press conference at Feni Samiti Auditorium in Old Paltan of the capital on Tuesday (February 13) morning.
In a written statement at the press conference, they said, the deep influence of the national education system of that state on the formation of citizens’ thoughts, ideas and morals is undeniable. That is why the conscious citizens of that country have a watchful eye and high expectations for the national education system of the state. Especially the scholarly community and the Tawhidi people have a vital demand that the national curriculum should not in any way contradict the state religion Islam and Islamic thought. Through the National Curriculum, no thoughts that conflict with Islamic ideals and ethics should be able to influence our children and future generations.
They said, “But we have noticed with deep concern that a class of anti-religious groups afflicted with Islamophobia is desperate to implement a blueprint to erase Islamic thought from the minds and hearts of the Muslim generation of this country forever.” And they have targeted the textbooks compiled under the National Curriculum to implement this nefarious plan. Not only have Islamic content been excluded from the textbooks, but anti-Islamic content has been infiltrated in a well-planned manner.
Hefajat leaders strongly demanded the government to immediately correct these problems and distribute the newly compiled textbooks in coordination with the scholars of the country. And if not, the government will have to take the responsibility of implementing the plan to erase Islam forever from the minds of future generations of this country.
Senior Joint Secretary General Maulana Junaid Al Habib read the written statement at the press conference. Presenting the points of objection, Hefazat said that in the academic year 2022, Ibtedayi first class book ‘English for Today’, while teaching English conversation to the students, exchange of greetings was kept. But in 2023, ‘Good Morning’, ‘Hi’, ‘Hello’, etc. were introduced instead of salam. It has been retained in the 2024 book as well.
Hefazat says that in the past year, pictures in Ibtedai class textbooks have been showing teachers and students wearing hijabs, caps and Punjabis. But in 2024 they are presented without hijab, hat and Punjabi. Although name, sex, age, favorite food, clothes, sports and hobbies are mentioned in various places of the textbook under the heading ‘My Self-identity’, the identity of religion is not mentioned there.
In addition, Hefazat leaders also said that Islam’s ‘irrevocable duty of jihad’ has been completely omitted from the ninth class ‘Islam Education’ book. They said that by excluding Palestine from the world map, the name of the illegal occupying terrorist state of Israel has been attached to that place. Today’s textbooks in the name of sex education, the touchy subjects of puberty of boys and girls are presented in such a way that there is no shame in anyone. Pahela Baisakh, Gaye Huald, birthday celebrations, mukhabhat etc. are presented in such a way as if these are our only traditions and culture. But their history is very short.
Custodial leaders have alleged that extramarital sex has been presented in the textbooks at various places in the name of creating awareness, through which students will consider heinous acts like illicit extramarital sex to be perfectly normal. Elsewhere in the textbook, it is said that boys and girls should not be disciplined if they engage in illicit relations outside of marriage.
They also said that history and social science books have presented the history of the freedom movement of the subcontinent in such a way that it seems that Muslims had no contribution in the freedom movement. Only Sanatan Dharmalambi have contributed. Moreover, almost all books, including madrasa books, have pictures of musicians playing music on the cover, pictures without hijab inside, sometimes indecent pictures of women. There is a story of ‘Sharif to Sharifa’ in the history and social science textbook of class VII. Students are being brainwashed by including such transgender stories in textbooks.
Hefazat also demanded not to implement the ‘Transgender Rights Protection Act 2023 (Draft)’ in the press conference. They say that this law is considered to be a law for the protection of the rights of the transgender community, but in reality it is completely different. Hijra and transgender are not the same.
Hefazat has raised 5 point demands including not doing this law. The demands are, 1) All subjects that conflict with Islam should be removed from the national education curriculum. 2) Non-enactment of Transgender Rights Protection Act 2023 (Draft). 3) Stop jalsa of Ahmadiyya community in Panchagarh and declare them non-Muslims by state. 4) Immediate unconditional release of all imprisoned clerics including Maulana Mamunul Haque and withdrawal of all false cases filed in the name of Hefazat activists since 2013 and 5) Quick and effective initiatives should be taken to implement the 13 points of Hefazat.
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