18 Crore Textbooks Still to Be Printed, 3 Crore Await Binding

Staff Correspondent

At the start of the year, as per tradition, schoolchildren across Bangladesh were expected to receive their textbooks on the first day of January. However, under the Yunus administration, this routine has been disrupted. Despite past years’ timely deliveries, students remain without books nearly two months into the year, raising concerns among parents and education officials about mismanagement in the sector.

This year, the cost of printing textbooks increased by 750 crore taka. Yet, approximately 18 crore books still need to be printed. Officials from the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) reported ongoing printing efforts, but technical issues and workforce shortages are causing significant delays. Printing facilities are being pushed beyond their capacity, leading to slower progress.

Professor Dr. A.K.M. Riazul Hasan, Chairman of NCTB, stated that over 24 crore books have been printed so far, but a shortage of binding workers has left 3 crore books incomplete. “Printing facilities can produce 40 lakh books daily, but binding will take additional time,” he added.

NCTB sources revealed that several printing facilities have taken on more work than they can handle, prompting NCTB to outsource some tasks to other firms to expedite the process. Work has already begun at 4–5 additional firms, though many remain under heavy pressure due to excessive workloads.

The printing capacity of many facilities was overestimated from the start. While facility owners claimed they could produce 1.42 crore books daily, actual production hovers around 40 lakh books. NCTB plans to impose stricter conditions moving forward.

Rising paper costs and a lack of binding workers have further slowed production. Former Printing Industry Association President Tofayel Khan acknowledged these challenges, stating, “Paper shortages and a lack of binding workers are major hurdles. However, progress is improving, and all books should be printed by March.”

Some printers are prioritizing “note-guide” books over textbooks, causing further delays. NCTB has expressed concerns about this and warned of strict action against such practices.

For the 2025 academic year, 40 crore books are being prepared, including those for primary, secondary, and visually impaired students.

Parents have voiced frustration, fearing that the lack of textbooks is hampering students’ educational progress. Schools are directing parents to download digital copies of the books from the NCTB website, but not all families have the financial or technological resources to do so. Many affluent parents have printed the materials, but others are struggling to support their children’s education.

Teachers are also under pressure to complete class tests and first-term exams before Ramadan. However, they worry that students without textbooks may perform poorly, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds.

NCTB officials have assured that efforts are underway to complete book distribution by February.