Expert committee recommends removing 'Sharifa's Story' from textbook

A high-level expert committee formed by the Ministry of Education has recommended removing the story titled "Sharifa's Story" from the seventh-grade history and social science textbook.

The committee made the recommendation citing multiple ‘inaccuracies’ in the story, Prothom Alo reports, quoting a member of the committee who preferred to remain unnamed. 

The report recommending the removal of the story was submitted to the ministry a few days ago. Now the final decision rests with them, the daily quoted the member as saying. 

A chapter in the seventh-grade history and social science book, written under the new curriculum, contains a public awareness lesson about the third-gender community. But this sparked controversy.

Asif Mahtab, a former part-time lecturer at BRAC University, brought the story to the attention of the public when he protested its inclusion in the textbook, claiming that "Students were being introduced to transgender and homosexual concepts through the story." A video of him ripping out a page from the book later went viral on social media.

The education ministry then formed a high-level expert committee to review the story. The five-member committee was chaired by Islamic Arabic University Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdur Rashid.