Ethnic minority students protest ‘adivasi’ graffiti removal from textbook

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) removed the image of a graffiti with the word "Adivasi" (indigenous) from the back cover of the ninth and tenth-grade Bangla Grammar and Composition textbook last night (12 January) after facing protests from a group of students. 

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) on Sunday night removed the image of graffiti featuring the word "adivasi" (indigenous) from the back cover of the ninth and tenth-grade Bangla Grammar and Composition textbook following student protests.

During the protest, the student groups "Students for Sovereignty" argued that the term "adivasi" does not appear in the country's constitution. Instead, the constitution refers to these communities as small ethnic groups, making the term "adivasi" inappropriate.

In response to the textbook revision, the students announced a series of protests. These include an online campaign on 14 January and a planned march to the NCTB building on 15 January. The protestors will begin their march from in front of the Raju sculpture at Dhaka University at 11 am.

The controversy began when the NCTB removed the original graffiti design, which included the word "adivasi", and replaced it with a new design titled "Bolo Bir, Chiro Unnoto Momo Shir" in the updated online version of the textbook. This change was implemented after student protests outside the NCTB office in Motijheel on 12 January.

Dipayon Khisa, an ethnic minority rights activist, told TBS, "The graffiti in the textbook that has sparked discussion includes references to various religions in addition to indigenous peoples. It represents the pluralism of the country."

"The July uprising was not about surrendering the country's pluralism to a handful of mob justice advocates," said the activist.

The NCTB's decision to remove the graffiti has led to further unrest, with protests expected to continue in the coming days.