Manuscript Leak Sparks Rush to Print Guidebooks Before Textbooks Arrive!

 As the interim government prepares to distribute new textbooks to students at the start of the academic year, allegations have emerged that the manuscript of the new books has been leaked.

According to the leaked manuscript, a rush to print guidebooks and notes has gripped the market. Several prominent publishers are reportedly working around the clock in printing presses to produce these guidebooks. Despite the uncertainty over when the textbooks will actually reach students, some fear they may not be available on the first day of the academic year. It could take until March or April before all the books are distributed, while the production of guidebooks is already underway.

Questions are being raised about who leaked the manuscript and who ensured that the guidebook publishers could start printing. The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), the body responsible for overseeing textbook printing, has confirmed receiving complaints about the misuse of the leaked manuscript for the production of guidebooks.

In response, the NCTB issued a notice prohibiting printing companies from producing guidebooks before the final textbooks are printed. The NCTB’s Chairman, A.K.M. Riazul Hasan, acknowledged the leak and said a committee had been formed to investigate the matter. The committee is expected to submit a report next week.

Previously, Riazul Hasan had warned that printing companies that failed to deliver textbooks on time would be blacklisted. He emphasized that all contracted printing companies must complete their work promptly to ensure that the textbooks are available for students at the beginning of the new academic year. The NCTB has also cautioned printers against prioritizing the production of guidebooks at the expense of textbooks.

In 2008, the High Court directed district administrators to take action against the publication, distribution, and sale of guidebooks and notes without NCTB approval. However, despite the ruling, controlling the guidebook market has proven challenging. In 2012, the government proposed a curriculum aimed at reducing reliance on coaching centers and guidebooks.

In 2023, the government began implementing a new curriculum based on practical experience, aiming to reduce dependence on coaching and guidebooks. However, despite these efforts, the influence of the coaching industry, which is worth an estimated 50,000 crore taka annually, has not been curbed. Media investigations have revealed that many teachers at leading schools and colleges are deeply involved in this lucrative “education mafia.”

The leak comes amid ongoing political tensions. After the political shift on August 5, the interim government declared that implementing the new curriculum was not feasible. Consequently, the NCTB has begun revising textbooks based on the 2012 curriculum, making selective additions and deletions.

The Vice President of the Printing Industry Association, Mohammad Anwar Hossain, has denied any involvement of printing companies in the production of guidebooks. He pointed out that only those with guidebook businesses are likely to be involved in such activities.

One of the printing companies involved in the new textbooks, Anupam Printers, is also known for producing “Anupam Guide” books. The company’s managing director, Mirza Ali Ashraf Kashem, was unavailable for comment, but a warehouse manager stated that they would not begin printing guidebooks until after the textbooks had been distributed.

Regarding how the manuscript reached the guidebook publishers, Professor Robiul Kabir Chowdhury, head of the investigation committee, stated that the CDs containing the textbooks’ soft copies were distributed to contracted printing companies and the military. He suggested that a leak might have occurred from one of the printing houses, enabling the guidebook publishers to begin printing early.

Despite the leak, the NCTB insists that the new guidebooks will not be available in the market until February. If the publication of these guidebooks is found to violate the law, the executive branch or law enforcement agencies will take necessary actions. However, the NCTB admits that it has limited power in curbing the market for guidebooks directly.

The NCTB Chairman, A.K.M. Riazul Hasan, suggested that the manuscript could have been leaked at any stage of the process, whether during typing, editing, or design. Although confidentiality was emphasized to all parties involved, he admitted that the leak may have occurred during one of these stages.