The government will provide nearly 35 crore new books to 4.5 crore primary and secondary level students free of cost from January 1 in phases.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday formally inaugurated textbook distribution through video conferencing from her official residence Ganabhaban.
On behalf of the Prime Minister, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni and State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain handed books to 23 students of pre-primary, primary and secondary level for 2021 at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in capital Dhaka.
Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, Chairmen of standing committees for the ministries of education, and primary and mass education were present at the programme.
Book distribution will begin at educational institutions across the country fromtoday, January 1.
About 34.36 crore free textbooks will be distributed among the students. Of those, 24.10 crore for secondary level and 10.25 crore for pre-primary and primary level students will be given by January 15 in phases.
According to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the total number of textbooks for pre-primary and primary level is 10 crore 25 lakh 82 thousand and 555 for the academic year 2021.
Of those, 2 crore 59 lakh 92 thousand 671 books are for the first-second grade students, while 6 crore 96 lakh 97 thousand 374 books are for the third-fourth and fifth grade students.
According to the Ministry of Education, in the academic year of 2021, about 24 crore 33 lakh 34 thousand copies of books have been printed for secondary level students.
Besides, 2,13,288 books printed in special language will be distributed to 94,275 ethnic students (Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Garo and Sadri) from pre-primary to third grade and the books have been printed in five languages.
This time Braille books will be distributed to 9,196 visually impaired students.
In the last ten years since 2010, about 331.47 crore primary and secondary books have been distributed across the country.
Following that, new books will be distributed among students over the next 12 days.
Awami League government has been celebrating ‘book festival’ on January 1 every year in a festive atmosphere since 2010 with the aim of elevating education standard and preventing dropout rates.
But, this time it is not possible to hold book festival due to the global pandemic.
However, the government has completed all preparations so that students can smell the new book at the beginning of the year.