Free textbook distribution has started in schools across the country on the first day of the year. However, no textbook festival was held this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Earlier, the book distribution programme was inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on December 30. In continuation of it, the distribution of books started in all the educational institutions of the country maintaining the health rules from Saturday.
According to the announcement of Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, books of different classes will be distributed on different days to avoid crowds. In most of the schools, books of class six were distributed on Saturday.
This year 347,022,130 copies of textbooks will be distributed free of cost among 41,726,856 students across the country. These include braille textbooks for visually impaired students and textbooks printed in the mother tongue of students of class five ethnic groups.
The ministry has instructed the authorities concerned to complete the distribution of books within January 13.
Many students went to their schools with great enthusiasm and hope to get new books. Students of different educational institutions have expressed their happiness after receiving new books on the first day of the year.