The students start the year with joy and celebration, smelling the scent of new books. This time too, the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) is working to hand over new textbooks to students on January 1. In the post-uprising situation, the institution has fallen behind in the work of printing books. While some books have started to be sent to different parts of the country, this time primary books are being printed. Secondary ones are even further behind. Therefore, the timely getting the text books and Book Festival is in some doubt this time.
Although NCTB says it is trying to finish printing books as soon as possible, it is ‘mountainous’ to print about 400.16 million books and deliver them to schools by December. In such a situation, NCTB officials themselves are not able to say anything for sure about when the students will get all the new books. As a result, the much-awaited ‘book festival’ of January 1 is in danger of fading away.
NCTB officials do not see any ‘responsibility’ behind the ‘extreme delay’ in printing books this time. They say that there is a clear ‘legitimate’ reason for this delay in printing textbooks, which students and parents are also aware of. Rather, with their diligence, it will be possible to complete this huge task of printing textbooks in a relatively short time.
Primary books in printing house
The government is working to print a total of 400.16 million books from pre-primary to class 10 for the 2025 academic year. Of these, the number of pre-primary and primary books is 120.86 million.
NCTB sources said that books for the first, second and third grades of primary will be printed in 98 lots, of which 70 lots of books are being printed in full swing at 41 printing houses. The government’s Procurement Advisory Committee approved the remaining 28 lots of books on November 21. Printing of those will also begin soon.
There are also 98 lots of books for the fourth and fifth grades of primary. The ministry’s procurement committee has approved the printing of 95 lots of books. There are no other obstacles to printing them. The remaining three lots are for minority ethnic groups, Braille, special books including teacher aids.
NCTB Production Controller Abu Naser Tuku told Daily Industry, “The printing of all primary books is now in full swing. Hopefully, we will be able to hand over all the primary books to the students on the first day of the year.’
As many as ‘doubts’ about secondary textbooks
A total of 28.62 crore books will be printed for secondary level students, i.e., sixth to tenth grade. NCTB has not yet been able to start printing a large number of these books.
According to NCTB sources, it has not been possible to send any secondary class books to the printing house yet. However, tenders have been made for all classes of books. A significant progress has been made in the case of secondary books - the tender for sixth and seventh class books has been sent to the Government Procurement Advisory Committee to finalize. If approved there, the printing of books will begin. In that case, sixth and seventh class books may be sent to the printing house in early December. There will be a further delay in sending eighth-ninth class books to the printing house.
When asked, NCTB member (textbooks) Professor Dr. Riyad Chowdhury told Daily Industry, “Many of us who are working now took office at the end of September, many again in October. However, every year, the preparation of book manuscripts and tender work starts from April-May. This time, it has to be said to start in October. Moreover, there have been changes in the curriculum, textbooks have to be revised and revised. The tender had to be canceled and tendered again. The delay is very reasonable. But I can say this much, we will be able to deliver books to students in less time than expected.”
If we print according to the tender rules, books will not be available in January too!
After getting the work according to the tender rules, the printing houses get a specific time. If we print books according to that deadline, the books will not reach the students this January too, the leaders of the Bangladesh Printing Industry Association have said.
Chairman of the Printing Industry Association Md. Rabbani Jabbar told Daily Industry, “This time, all the work is being delayed. If we work according to the deadline for delivering books after getting the work, it is doubtful whether NCTB will be able to send books to students in January too. We are trying to complete the work as soon as possible considering the overall aspect.’
NCTB Chairman Professor Dr. AKM Riazul Hasan also thinks it is difficult to hand over all the books to the students on the first day of January. He told Daily Industry, ‘Everyone is aware of why the book printing work has started or is being done late. We do not want to make any new excuses about that. Some books will reach the hands of secondary school students in early January. And we believe that we will be able to hand over all the books to the students by January. We will not let any deviation in our commitment and dedication to do this. Time will tell the rest.’
