In a surprising turn of events, approximately 31,000 Islam and Moral Education books for primary class III students are being recalled from schools in Satkhira and Thakurgaon due to a significant cover displacement issue.
The error, involving the placement of the Hindu goddess Durga's image on the back cover, has raised concerns and triggered a swift response from the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB).
This academic year, over 30 crore textbooks and teacher's guides (TG) were distributed across the country on January 1st as part of a Book Festival. The government authorities claim that social media has been used to disseminate rumours regarding this matter; specifically, offensive, provocative, and deliberate posts on Facebook are being spread to cast doubt on the growth and function of the government in the field of education.
Professor Farhadul Islam, Chairman of NCTB, acknowledged the mistake and revealed that 40 books had been identified with this sensitive cover issue. Expressing regret for the oversight, Professor Islam announced formation of an investigation committee to investigate into the matter further.
Islam clarified that upon the dissemination of the images and videos on social media depicting the erroneous books, the NCTB promptly instructed local administrations to recall the Islam and Moral Education books for third-grade students in the affected areas.
However, the perplexing nature of the mistake, which occurred in only 40 out of 30,70,83,517 printed books, has led to suspicions of foul play. Some concerned authorities and personnel argue that such an isolated error may be intentional, possibly aimed at disrupting the election environment by inflaming religious sentiments.
Responding to questions about the apparent anomaly in a limited number of books, Professor Islam expressed bewilderment, stressing the need for a thorough investigation into potential sabotage and religious sensitivities.
The Ministry has taken proactive steps to establish an inquiry committee to examine the circumstances surrounding this unusual error.
Attributing the mistake to the printing press, Professor Islam assured that new, corrected books would be printed and distributed to the students expeditiously. Emphasizing the seriousness of the matter, he highlighted the formation of various investigative committees to ensure accountability and determine the extent of the error.
According to academics associated with the NCTB, the Islam and Moral Education books, which is included in the class 3 syllabus, is a religious textbook. It was deliberately designed with the learning goals, content, and timetable of the religion of Islam and moral education in mind for the primary education level. It has been extremely sought to ensure that no other religion is damaged or misunderstood.
This academic year witnessed the distribution of a staggering 30,70,83,517 textbooks and teacher guides across the country, raising further questions about the origins and motives behind the isolated mistake.
An official from the NCTB's distribution branch noted the prevalence of web machines in the printing process and questioned why such an error did not occur uniformly across a vast number of books. The need for a comprehensive investigation, whether it be a printing press error or a deliberate act, was emphasized.
Reports from Satkhira Sadar Upazila and Thakurgaon indicate that students in several schools have already received erroneous books. Concerned parents have taken to social media to share images and videos, urging swift corrections.
Local authorities, including Satkhira Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shamim Bhuia and Satkhira District Primary Education Officer Hosne Isaymin Karimi, have assured the public that corrective measures are underway, with books being retrieved for verification before replacement.
