Bangladesh NCTB removes controversial icon from ICT textbook

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has decided to remove a controversial image of a weighing scale from the sixth-grade Information and Communication Technology (ICT) textbook for the 2027 academic year. The image had been used to symbolize 'wisdom' within a pyramid of knowledge, sparking significant debate.

Under the new decision, the four levels of the knowledge pyramid—data, information, knowledge, and wisdom—will remain in written form, but no icons or symbols will be used for these stages. This follows an initial order to halt printing after the controversy emerged.

Approximately 3.8 million copies of the book were nearing completion. To address the error, the NCTB will insert revised pages into books that have already been sent to the field or are at the press. An investigation committee has been formed to look into the matter, and one research officer at the NCTB has been transferred to Khagrachari as part of the administrative response.