Two weeks into the new academic year, primary and secondary students across the country are struggling to start their academic activities as 25.15 crore, or 63 percent, of the required textbooks remain undelivered.
Despite initial assurances that all 40.15 crore free textbooks would be distributed by January 31, the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has only managed to deliver 15 crore textbooks, or 37 percent of the total. This includes approximately 75 percent of the 9.19 crore primary school books and 30 percent of the nearly 31 crore secondary school books, according to NCTB officials. The NCTB has attributed the delay to a variety of challenges, such as curriculum changes, supply chain disruptions, and printing mismanagement. In September, the NCTB reverted to the 2012 curriculum, requiring revisions to 441 textbooks. This time-consuming process, along with delays in the re-tendering process and political instability following protests over quotas, further delayed the distribution.
“Several presses took on more work than they could handle, and the supply chain of paper was poorly managed,” NCTB Chairman Prof. AKM Reazul Hassan told the media. He also claimed that many presses printed guidebooks alongside textbooks, which caused further delays.
Secondary-level students have been the most affected by this delay, according to reports.
In Chattogram, for example, only 13.8 percent of the required 1.7 crore textbooks for secondary students have been delivered. At Government Collegiate School, students in classes 6, 7, and 9 have received only Bangla, English, and Mathematics books, while students in classes 5, 8, and 10 have not received any books. Headteacher Rehana Akhtar expressed frustration, stating, “Students are falling behind.”
In Barishal, just 8.8 percent of the secondary-level textbooks have been delivered. Parent Mushtaq Ahmed lamented, “How can class 10 students prepare for exams with only three out of 10 textbooks? This is ruining their future.”
Rangpur has also been severely impacted, with only 12 percent of secondary-level textbooks delivered, and vocational and commerce students in the region have not received any textbooks. A teacher from Dinajpur Zilla School, speaking anonymously, said many students, particularly in class 6, have yet to receive their textbooks. “We’ve been in constant contact with the relevant department, but there is no clear timeline for when the books will be available.”
Without official textbooks, many students have turned to alternatives. Shahriar, a ninth-grade student at Dinajpur Zilla School, mentioned that he began studying last year’s textbooks, while others have downloaded books from the NCTB website. In Mymensingh, less than half of the required secondary-level textbooks have been delivered.
Harichand Biswas, headteacher of Rangpur Kalibati Secondary School in Khulna’s Dumuria upazila, shared that they received Bangla, English, and Mathematics books for classes 6, 7, and 8, but none for classes 9 and 10. English version textbooks also remain undelivered in the region, although 70 percent of textbooks have been delivered overall. Some guardians have taken matters into their own hands, downloading and printing PDF copies of the books to cover the learning gaps.
At the primary level, textbooks for classes 4 and 5 have not yet been delivered. In Chattogram, 50.23 percent of the required primary textbooks have been delivered. Mahbubur Rahman, acting headteacher of a government primary school, stated that students are relying on older books. Delivery rates in primary schools in Mymensingh, Barishal, and Khulna are 44 percent, 49 percent, and 54 percent, respectively. Kaberi Hossain, a teacher at Kabirpur Model Primary School in Jhenaidah’s Shailkupa upazila, explained, “It’s difficult for us to give lessons due to the lack of books.”
Students are also anxious about the delay. “I have to take exams in a few months, but with no materials to study, it’s overwhelming,” said Hasan Ali, a class five student in Rangpur.
A representative of the Printing Industries Association of Bangladesh expressed concerns about the situation, saying, “We are under extreme pressure… The cost of paper has increased, and banks are not giving us enough support to meet the deadlines. It’s becoming harder to maintain quality and complete orders on time with the limited resources available.”
NCTB member (textbook) Prof. Riad Chaudhury stated, “The situation has reached this point due to several challenges. However, we have been relentlessly working to deliver the textbooks to the students.” He assured that the NCTB was prioritizing textbooks for class 10 students, who need them for public exams. “We are hopeful that we can deliver all the primary and class 10 textbooks by this month,” he said.
Prof. Riad added, “The entire printing process is under extensive monitoring to ensure quality this year. We have already rejected over 3 lakh textbooks due to substandard materials.”
Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud recently announced that all textbooks would be distributed by February.
