On February 7, 2023, at 3:30 pm, under the slogan “Let’s stop propaganda against science-based, non-communal, humanitarian education curriculum.” a human chain program was held in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh by the initiative of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP).
The human chain program was presided over by the president of the organization, Dr. Fauzia Moslem.
More than hundred people including the organization’s central and Dhaka metropolitan branch leaders, representatives from social action committee, former chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board, prominent cultural figure Ratan Siddiqui, and journalists from print and electronic media were present in that human chain. It was hosted by Jana Goswami, Advocacy and Lobby Director of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad.
Maleka Banu, General Secretary of the organization, said in her speech, “It is our long-standing demand to introduce a science-based, non-communal, humanitarian, and life-oriented education system.” When conscious people of all classes are unitedly agitating for the implementation of this demand, then reactionary fanatic groups are spreading propaganda against this educational policy. She urged the Government and the media to stop this propaganda and to highlight the importance of science-based education in building a non-communal humane society based on equality between men and women.
Golam Kuddus, President of Shommilito Shankskritik Jote, said that people with non-communal attitudes and people with communal and fanatic groups both are criticizing the structured education curriculum. The mistakes of the curriculum are being talked about, but many people in this country deny the education policy. He called on everyone to cooperate with the Ministry of Education and its related departments to make the curriculum free of errors.
In the president’s speech, the President of the organization, Dr. Fauzia Moslem said that various discussions are going on about the Digital Security Act. But no action has been taken under this Act against those who are spreading social propaganda about education policy and those who are making adverse comments against people involved in curriculum formulation. She urged the government to identify them and take punitive measures and said that if a national disaster comes, the Bengali nation will not hesitate to face it unitedly. She mentioned that we will work together to implement the right to education for all people.
Rekha Chaudhury, Vice-President of the organization, said that educational institutions should also take responsibility to rearrange science-based, non-communal, humanitarian education curriculum day by day. She said that from the primary level, students should be taught about thousand years of Bengali culture and art, and students must be introduced to drawing classes, physical exercises, and library work every week.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad’s Education and Culture Secretary Khurshida Imam; Deputy General Secretary of Dhaka city Manju Dhar; and Movement Secretary Rabeya Khatun Shanti also spoke in this program. They said that by distorting the contents of the curriculum in various ways, wrong information is being spread against science-based education, negative reactions are being created in the minds of students. In such a situation, they urged the Government to take necessary strict measures to protect the composed education curriculum.
Among the representatives of the social action committee in this human chain program, Shamsunnahar from CAMPE, Rakhi Zaman of ASK, Puja Kar, a student of YWCA, and Tariq Hasan of IED expressed solidarity and said that the government has to be active in order to build a non-communal society and state including the educational policy. Everyone should be loud to stop propaganda against the curriculum, and also people should unitedly work more to enhance NCTB.
After the end of the speeches, proposals were read by Juela Jebunnesa Khan, Movement Secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan Committee.
