Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi, a prominent cultural organisation, condemned the recommendation of a government-appointed review committee to remove “Sharifa’s Story” from the seventh-grade History and Social Science textbook. In a statement issued on 17 May 2024, the organisation protested the proposed removal of the story, which introduces students to the experiences of Hijra people and addresses discrimination and social acceptance. Udichi warned that accepting the committee’s recommendation would amount to accommodating fundamentalist and communal forces that had opposed the inclusion of Hijra identities in school education. The statement followed reports on 16 May that the five-member committee established by the Ministry of Education had recommended removing the story from the national curriculum.

In the statement, Udichi Central Committee President Professor Badiur Rahman and General Secretary Amit Ranjan Dey defended the inclusion of “Sharifa’s Story” in the textbook. They emphasised that Hijra people are citizens of Bangladesh who are entitled to the same civil rights and opportunities as other members of society. The organisation explained that the story was intended to help students understand the lives of Hijra people and discourage discriminatory attitudes towards them. Udichi also pointed to the contributions of Hijra individuals working in different sectors and argued that educational materials should encourage respect and acceptance rather than reinforce social exclusion. The organisation maintained that removing the story in response to religious and conservative opposition would undermine efforts to promote equality and understanding among younger generations.

Udichi called for the recommendation to be rejected and urged the authorities to retain the story in the seventh-grade textbook. The organisation also announced a public protest gathering for 18 May 2024 at 5:00 PM in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, inviting people to participate in opposing the proposed removal. The statement represented organised resistance from Bangladesh’s cultural sector to the campaign against Hijra representation in education. While religious and conservative groups had demanded the story’s removal through demonstrations, public campaigns and legal notices, Udichi publicly defended its inclusion and challenged the government-appointed committee’s recommendation.