The High Court today expressed dismay at the errors regarding history of Bangladesh's Liberation War in some secondary and higher secondary level textbooks and said such mistakes are unfortunate. 

The court also summoned the chairman and member concerned of National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) directing them to appear before it on November 10 for their explanation on the errors.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Md Alamgir Alam, the guardian of a student of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, containing the errors in the books.

At the same time, the bench issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain in four weeks why they should not be directed to take steps to amend the mistakes in the textbooks.

Petitioner's lawyer Ali Mustafa Khan told The Daily Star that his client found more than 100 errors regarding the history of the country's Liberation War in some textbooks of secondary and higher secondary levels.

It has been written in the book named Bangladesher Itihas O Bishwa Savyata (History of Bangladesh and World Civilization) of classes nine and ten that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a political leader in 1969 which is incorrect, as Bangabandhu was the president of Nikhil Pakistan Awami League (All Pakistan Awami League) then, he said.

The lawyer said in the same book, it has been stated that Bangabandhu was the president of the then Mujibnagar Government, which is a blunder as he (Bangabandhu) was the president of the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh.

Lawyer Musfata said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has wrongly been termed as Sheikh Mujib instead of Bangabandhu in different pages of the book titled as "Bangladesh O Bishwa Parichoy (Bangladesh and World Identification) of classes nine and ten

It has been wrongly written in the book named "Bangladesh O Bishwa Parichoy of class seven that election was held in the provinces of East Pakistan on December 17, 1970, though the elections were held in all provinces of the then Pakistan, he said citing the petition.

In the petition, Alamgir Alam requested the HC to pass a directive on the authorities to amend the errors in the books.        

Deputy Attorney General Bepul Bagmar represented the state during the hearing.