The traditional excitement of receiving new textbooks on the first day of the academic year—a hallmark of student life in Bangladesh—has once again been marred by shortages. Even as the calendar has turned to the new year, a significant number of students at secondary schools and Ebtedayee madrassas remain without all their required textbooks. The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has once again fallen short in ensuring timely distribution.
While the supply of primary-level textbooks has largely been completed, substantial delays have affected the printing and distribution of textbooks for secondary schools and Ebtedayee madrassas. According to NCTB officials, delays in initiating the tendering process led to setbacks in printing schedules, which directly impacted the timely delivery of books. As a result, students in the initial weeks of the academic year have been forced to attend classes without essential study materials.
As of Sunday, 11 January, the NCTB reported that 29,218,609 textbooks were yet to reach students—equivalent to 13.63% of the total required textbooks.
| Level | Total Textbooks Distributed | Percentage Completed | Pending Textbooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | 188,000,000 | 95.0% | 9,400,000 |
| Secondary & Ebtedayee | 185,095,665 | 86.0% | 29,218,609 |
| Total | 373,095,665 | 86.37% | 38,618,609 |
Despite these challenges, the NCTB has assured that all textbooks will be delivered by 15 January. However, parents and teachers remain sceptical, given the Board’s repeated failure to meet previous deadlines.
NCTB Distribution Controller Mohammad Matiur Rahman Khan stated that, according to updates on 10 January, 185,095,665 textbooks for secondary and Ebtedayee levels have already been distributed, and full delivery will be achieved by the mid-January deadline. Earlier, on 4 January, the NCTB reported that an average of 84.78% of textbooks across primary and secondary levels had been distributed.
To mitigate disruption to students’ learning, the NCTB has made digital versions of all textbooks available on its website since 28 December, allowing students to access materials online temporarily. However, limited internet access in many regions means digital copies are not a fully effective solution.
The recurring nature of this issue raises urgent questions about when the NCTB will finally resolve its long-standing textbook distribution challenges, ensuring that students across the country have timely access to essential learning resources.