On the first day of the New Year, students across Bangladesh received over six crore free textbooks as part of the nationwide initiative to distribute educational materials for primary and secondary levels.
A total of 6 crore 8 lakh 19 thousand 44 textbooks were distributed simultaneously in schools nationwide, including 441 newly revised editions. Out of the targeted 9 crore 6 lakh 40 thousand 415 textbooks in Bengali and English versions for classes one to five and ethnic groups, 4 crore 63 lakh 86 thousand 887 have been distributed so far.
Prof. Dr. AKM Riazul Hasan, Chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), stated that a total of 1 crore 65 lakh 89 thousand 514 books have been printed using the PDI method. He assured that the remaining books will be distributed soon, with primary-level textbooks reaching students by January 5 and books for all levels by January 20.
In an event at the International Mother Language Institute, Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud unveiled the new textbooks for the academic year. He highlighted the improved quality of the books, including enhanced covers and advanced printing.
The adviser also mentioned that printing books abroad has been discontinued, and future processes will be refined based on the challenges faced in 2024. The revised 441 textbooks are now available online on the NCTB website.
