The Chief Advisor’s Office has condemned the attack on a protest held by students from the “adivasi” community at the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) building.
In a statement, the interim government expressed strong disapproval of the attack on a peaceful gathering of ethnic minority students. The CAO further announced that an investigation has been launched into the incident, with two arrests made so far. The authorities are identifying additional perpetrators, who will be arrested and brought to justice.
The CAO emphasized that mob violence, racial hatred, and bigotry have no place in Bangladesh, reinforcing that those involved in actions undermining peace, harmony, and law and order would face strict legal consequences.
The protest, organized by the “Agitated Adivasi Students,” was triggered by the NCTB’s removal of an image from the Bengali grammar and composition textbook for ninth and tenth graders. The image had depicted a tree with five leaves, each representing a religious or ethnic community—Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, and “adivasi”—with the phrase “Tearing leaves is prohibited” beside it. The image was removed from the online version of the textbook following opposition from the “Students of Sovereignty” group.
The situation escalated when the Agitated Adivasi Students staged a protest in front of the NCTB on January 12, and a counter-protest by Students for Sovereignty soon followed. The two groups clashed in front of the building, leading to reports of injuries on both sides.
Alik Mro, an organizer of the Agitated Adivasi Students, confirmed that eleven of their members were injured in the attack. However, Students for Sovereignty Convenor Muhammad Ziaul Haque Zia claimed that fourteen of their students were injured by the Adivasi group.
