New textbooks in Bangladesh to state Ziaur Rahman declared 1971 Independence: Report

The Bangladesh interim government has revised textbooks on the 1971 Liberation War to state that Ziaur Rahman declared the country’s independence, replacing the previous text which credited Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with the declaration.

In a significant move, Bangladesh has introduced new textbooks for primary and secondary students, altering the narrative of its 1971 independence declaration. According to The Daily Star, the revised materials credit Ziaur Rahman, a former army major, with declaring the country’s independence, replacing earlier textbooks that attributed the historic proclamation to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the nation’s founding father.

These updated textbooks for the 2025 academic year not only shift the focus but also omit Mujibur Rahman’s revered title, "Father of the Nation."

"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," explained Prof. AKM Reazul Hassan, chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board, as quoted by the newspaper. This controversial change has been included in free textbooks distributed nationwide, he added.

The revision was driven by an effort to remove "exaggerated, imposed history," stated writer and researcher Rakhal Raha, who was instrumental in the changes. "Those who revised the textbooks found that it wasn't 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," Raha elaborated.

This is not the first instance where political shifts have influenced historical accounts in Bangladeshi textbooks. In previous editions, the attribution of the Declaration of Independence often mirrored the political ideology of the ruling government, The Daily Star reported.

Supporters of the Awami League firmly believe that Mujibur Rahman had made the independence announcement, arguing that Ziaur Rahman merely read out the declaration under Mujib's instructions. However, this revised narrative has reignited long-standing debates about the country’s foundational history.

The revisions coincide with broader changes initiated after the ouster of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s daughter, Sheikh Hasina, as prime minister on August 5.

The interim government has moved to erase Mujibur Rahman’s image from currency notes, phased out old notes, and canceled a national holiday on August 15 commemorating his assassination. Statues and murals bearing his likeness have also faced removal or desecration.