Morning Brief: Bangladesh Textbooks Rewritten To Fit Islamist Narrative; India Begins Exporting Apple Components To China, Vietnam; Trump Threatens To Double Tariffs On China; And More

Catch up on the day’s must-read stories with Swarajya's roundup of the morning's headlines.

Bangladesh Textbooks Rewritten To Fit Islamist Narrative

Bangladesh’s interim government has carried out what it calls an 'education reform' by scrubbing former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from school textbooks after her ousting in August 2024. In this grand exercise of revisionism, mentions of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, have also been either erased or significantly reduced.

While India’s role in the 1971 Liberation War against Pakistan remains, photographs of Indira Gandhi with Mujibur Rahman have mysteriously disappeared. Hasina’s customary message to students on textbook back covers has been replaced with images of anti-government graffiti from the July 2024 uprising. A team of 57 experts, tasked with rewriting history, has revised 441 books, printing over 40 crore copies for the academic year—all to fit the narrative favoured by the Islamists, who are now all-powerful thanks to Muhammad Yunus, who needs them to hold on to power.

India Begins Exporting Apple Components To China and Vietnam

For the first time, India has started exporting electronic components to China and Vietnam for manufacturing Apple products like MacBooks, iPhones, AirPods, and Apple Watch, marking a shift in global supply chains. Apple suppliers such as Motherson Group, Jabil, Aequs, and Tata Electronics are producing key mechanics, including enclosures, in India and exporting them to final assembly locations. The move is part of Apple's broader effort to deepen local value addition and expand procurement beyond iPhones. Industry experts see this as a major milestone, as India has long been a net importer of electronic components from China and Vietnam. This shift is expected to boost India’s electronics manufacturing sector and strengthen its position in global supply chains.

Trump Threatens To Double Tariffs On China

Trump has announced plans to double existing tariffs on Chinese imports from 10 per cent to 20 per cent, effective 4 March 2025. This decision follows China's retaliatory measures, which include a 15 per cent tariff on US coal and liquefied natural gas, and a 10 per cent tariff on crude oil, agricultural machinery, and large-displacement vehicles. Additionally, Trump stated that 25 per cent tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods are set to take effect on 4 March. These simultaneous tariffs on America's top three trading partners could lead to soaring prices for American consumers. Previously, the president had not threatened an additional 10 per cent tariff on Chinese imports beyond the initial 10 per cent implemented earlier this month.

Other Developments

India Prepares For Trade Talks With US

India is reviewing its trade numbers with the US before beginning talks on a new agreement, officials said. The move comes as US President Donald Trump accuses India of unfair trade practices, though official data shows a much lower trade deficit than his claims. In 2024, the US reported importing $87.4 billion worth of goods from India, while India recorded only $80.7 billion in exports to the US, creating a $6.7 billion gap. A key dispute is over tariffs, with India clarifying that duties on Harley-Davidson motorcycles were lowered to 30 per cent, contrary to US claims of 100 per cent. Officials say these differences stem from how both countries calculate trade figures.

No Summons For Doval During US Visit

India has dismissed claims by Khalistani terrorist GS Pannun’s lawyers that a summons was delivered to National Security Adviser Ajit Doval during his US visit with the Prime Minister. Officials stated that Doval had diplomatic immunity, which was confirmed by the US before the trip, making the claim baseless. At the February 13 Modi-Trump summit in Washington, India and the US agreed to work together against Khalistani terror networks. Pannun’s lawyers alleged in a press release that Doval was served a summon related to an alleged assassination plot, giving him 21 days to respond. However, sources called it a desperate move by Khalistani extremists.

Public Banks Outpace Private Lenders In Loan Growth

India’s public sector banks have surpassed private lenders in loan growth, regaining lost market share. In December, state-owned banks recorded a 12.4 per cent year-on-year loan growth, compared to 10.5 per cent for private banks. The loan gap between public and private sector banks widened to Rs 21 trillion by December 31, up from Rs 19.5 trillion in September. Public sector banks’ share of total banking loans increased to 53.5 per cent in December from 53.2 per cent in September, while private banks saw their share decline to 41.5 per cent from 41.8 per cent. After years of losing ground, state-owned banks are now reversing the trend, marking a shift from their steady decline since 2017.

Trump-Musk Plan for Mass Firing Blocked in Court

A court has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ordering mass firings of thousands of recently hired federal employees as part of its downsizing drive launched by Elon Musk. The court ruled that the US Office of Personnel Management lacked the authority to direct agencies to terminate workers. The lawsuit, one of several against Trump’s push to shrink the federal workforce, argued that the firings were unlawful, especially as career officials with civil service protection were next in line. Government lawyers claimed agencies were merely asked to review probationary employees rather than ordered to fire them, but the order halts further dismissals for now.

From The States

Delhi: CAG Flags Major Lapses In AAP’s Mohalla Clinics

A CAG audit has revealed serious shortcomings in AAP’s mohalla clinics, with doctors spending less than a minute on consultations for 70 per cent of patients between October 2022 and March 2023. The report found that many clinics lacked essential medical equipment such as pulse oximeters, glucometers, thermometers, and blood pressure monitors. It also highlighted that 18 per cent of the evaluated clinics were non-operational for periods ranging from 15 days to nearly two years due to doctor shortages and resignations. During the audit, 41 out of 218 clinics across four districts were found to be shut. The findings raise concerns over the quality of healthcare services being provided under the scheme.

TN: Stalin Says Hindi Push Is A Cover For Sanskrit Agenda

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin accused the BJP-led Centre of using Hindi "imposition" as a front to promote Sanskrit. In a letter to DMK cadres, he claimed that wherever the three-language formula was adopted, Hindi and Sanskrit took precedence over regional languages. Stalin alleged that BJP was attempting to impose Hindi-Sanskrit through the National Education Policy (NEP), sidelining Tamil and other languages. He argued that several North Indian languages had already been eroded by Hindi-Sanskrit and warned that Tamil was being targeted due to its resistance. Citing NEP provisions, he claimed Sanskrit was given priority at all education levels, while Tamil was relegated to a secondary status.

Follow along for more updates throughout the day.