Bid to Distort Bangladesh History? New Text Books Now Claim Ziaur Rahman Declared 1971 Independence

Dhaka: After what the world witnessed on August 5 2024, when protesters in Bangladesh desecrated a statue of Sheikh Mujib, now the Bangladesh interim government has made a few changes in the country’s textbooks on the 1971 Liberation War.

The revised textbooks now credit Ziaur Rahman with declaring Bangladesh’s independence, replacing the previous version that attributed the declaration to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The revised textbooks, featuring several key changes, are now being distributed to primary and secondary students starting from January 1, as reported by the ‘Daily Star.’

The key change made to the textbook now states, ‘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’, confirmed by Professor AKM Reazul Hassan, Chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board

As per the chairman, the changes have been incorporated into the free textbooks, where the declaration of independence was previously referenced.

However, this issue has always been a topic of debate in Bangladesh. 

Historically, the attribution of the declaration has varied depending on the government in power. 

On one hand, supporters of the Awami League credit Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for the declaration, while naming Ziaur Rahman—who served as a major in the army and later a sector commander during the Liberation War—simply reading it out on Mujib’s behalf.

On the other hand, supporters of the BNP have continued to argue that Ziaur Rahman, the party’s founder and former president, made the declaration of Independence.