Sharifa Class 7 Issue Details In English
A legal notice has been sent to remove 'Sharifa's story' from the Class 7 history and social science textbooks.
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| Shorif To Shorifa Controversy |
The legal notice was sent to the secretary of the education ministry and the chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB).
According to the legal notice, Sharifa's story has been told in the seventh grade history and social science textbook.
Here Sharif Ahmed is physically a boy. But he thinks he's a girl. So he changed his name to Sharifa. It has been admitted here that there is no physical change in Sharif Ahmed.
Only mentally, he thinks he's a girl. The legal notice states, "Through the story, soft-spoken students have been attracted to transgender. Transgender people are being motivated in the minds of soft-spoken students. ’
Within 30 days of receiving the legal notice, the book 'Sharifa's story' has to be removed from the seventh grade history and social science books. Also the books have to be withdrawn from all educational institutions.
In addition to this, students will have to provide revised books. Otherwise, a writ petition will be filed in the High Court as per Article 102 of the Constitution to take action in this regard.
In the new curriculum, there is a chapter in the seventh grade history and social science book to raise public awareness about the hermaphrodite community. This is being debated.
Sharif To Sharifa In Class 7 History And Social Science Book
It is known that a section of the chapter on 'Similarities and Differences between People' in the history and social science book has been discussed about the hermaphrodite community.
In that part, happy apa (teacher) brought a guest to the class. She said, "she studied in your school up to the seventh grade when she was a child." Today she came here to see our school.
Sumon (student) asked, what is your name? " He said, "My name is Sharifa Akhter." Then Sharifa started telling her life story.
Sharifa said, "When I was in your school, my name was Sharif Ahmed. Anuching (student) was surprised and said, "How did you go from boy to girl?"
Sharifa said, "I am what I was then, I am still the same." I just changed the name. They didn't seem to understand Sharifa's words. Anai (the student) asked him, "Where is your home?" Sharifa said, "My house is very close. But now I live away.”
Anna shook her head and said, I understand, just as my family came here from another place, your family has also moved here.
Sharifa said it was not. My family is here. I left them and started living with strangers. That's my family now.
Seeing them surprised, Sharifa now began to talk about her life. “When I was a kid, everyone called me a boy. But I realized that even though I have a boy's body, I am a girl at heart. I loved to dress like a girl. But no one in the house would agree to buy me the clothes I wanted. I used to dress secretly with my sisters. If caught, she would be scolded, even beaten.
I wanted to play with the girls. But the girls didn't want me in the game. Even when I played with the boys, they used to laugh at my speech, my conduct.
Everyone at school, the neighbors and even the people at home ignored me a lot. It pained me to think why I was like this, I felt very alone.
One day I met someone who everyone in the society called a girl; But she considers herself a boy.
I thought this guy was just like me. He told me that we are not men or women, we are the third gender. That man took me to a place where there are many other types of people besides men and women. They are called "hijra" people.
They are all taken care of by their 'guru mother'. I didn't feel alone anymore, I didn't feel like I was different from everyone else. I stayed with those people.
The rules, the language, the customs here are very different from our home. We share everyone's joys and sorrows and live like a family. I also feel bad for the people at home. So sometimes I go home.
I left home 20 years ago. Since then, I have been going to different houses in the city with my new family and blessing the new child and new bride and groom and earning money…
Sometimes I ask people for money. We also want to live, study, work and do business like ten normal people in the society.
Most people still do not want to mix with us, even if they have the qualifications, they do not want to work. But a lot of people are very sympathetic to us these days.
Nowadays, many people like us are studying from their homes. There are people like us in every country of the world. In many countries, they live like the rest of society.
But the situation in our country is also changing. The government recognized us in 2013. Various government and private organizations are working for us. They are providing education and employment.
Efforts are being made to change the attitude of society. Many people of the hijra community of Bangladesh like Nazrul Islam Ritu, Shammi Rani Chowdhury, Bipul Barman have achieved success in social and professional life.
Then there are some pictures of successful hijras in the workplace.
Then it is said that they (students) knew for so long that people are boys or girls. They had never heard or thought that there could be diversity here.
But because Sharifa is different, everyone has pushed her away, even her family members! Hearing Sharifa's life story, everyone's heart was filled with such sadness that they did not even want to ask her more questions.
Then there is the learning part of the students discussing it among themselves and learning through various questions.
Written By Sultana Afia Tasnim
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