The Ministry of Religious Affairs in Bangladesh has recalled copies of the book Nexus, written by Yuval Noah Harari, which were previously gifted to winners of an international Quran recitation competition. The decision to retrieve the books followed public criticism and was executed under the directive of the Prime Minister.
State Minister for Religious Affairs Mohammad Shamim Kayser collected the books from the winning Hafizes at his office on Sunday. The ministry issued a press release confirming the action. The books had been presented to the winners during a reception held last Thursday at the Secretariat, where they were honored for their success at the 46th King Abdulaziz International Holy Quran Competition held in Saudi Arabia.
The distribution of the book sparked objections from several religious organizations, including Hefazat-e-Islam and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam. These groups argued that the content of the book, which explores the role of information, technology, and artificial intelligence in human history, contains perspectives on religion and the creator that are inconsistent with Islamic beliefs. Consequently, they contended that it was inappropriate to present the text to Quran competition winners.
State Minister Kayser stated that the government acted promptly to recall the books following the Prime Minister’s instructions. He further noted that the government remains committed to fulfilling other promises made to the winners, including support for international travel and other forms of assistance. The minister emphasized that the government will continue to support Hafizes participating in international competitions, noting the honor they bring to the country.
The winners present during the return of the books included Hafiz Muhammad Zakaria, Hafiz Sheikh Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan Ashrafi, Hafeza Rabita Binte Ramadan, and Hafeza Musfira Binte Mahmud, along with their respective teachers.
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