Dhaka, Mar 07 (V7N) – Out of the 390 million free textbooks designated for students this year, 30 million books remain to be printed, with completion expected by March 10, said Professor AKM Riazul Hasan, Chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB).

Despite these assurances, students at various institutions are still waiting for their full set of books. Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Government Secondary School in Uttara, for example, has not yet received all books for classes 6 to 9, while class 10 students have received their complete set.

The school's headmaster, Rebecca Sultana, confirmed that students are being called during holidays to collect their books as they arrive. The institution is set to remain closed throughout Ramadan and will serve as an SSC exam center from April 10, effectively depriving students of regular classes for two months.

At a recent press conference at the Ministry of Education on March 5, the former Education Advisor reassured that all books would be distributed by March 10.

Professor Riazul Hasan added that NCTB plans to start work on the 2026 textbooks this March. This will include modifications to content and images in some books.

NCTB sources indicate that to avoid controversy over paper quality, the board is considering returning to off-white paper for upcoming textbooks. This move follows criticism over the quality of printing materials used in recent years.

As the academic year progresses, concerns remain about whether students will receive their books in time to keep up with their studies.

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