Book festival is organized on January 1 by the government every year. But there is uncertainty about whether new students will get new books on the first day of next year. The Printing Industry Association has alleged that the crisis has been created due to the delay in completing the work order by printing textbooks in the prescribed time, giving printed manuscripts to the printing company. The printing association will organize a press conference next week on the failure of the printing the books in scheduled time.
According to the officials and printing industry associations of National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), NCTB will have to bear the responsibility for unable to start the work of the new book. Last month, the printing industry association had warned the NCTB with multiple letters. Meanwhile, on Monday (September 11th), nearly 100 members of the printing association met with NCTB officials and expressed their position clearly.
According to NCTB sources, about 36 crore books will be printed for pre-primary, primary, secondary, dakhil and vocational level students. This decision was taken after sending demand of the Upazila education office and district education office. But even after sending the request, this crisis has been created because the textbook tender process hasn’t completed, delaying to set up a team of exam inspector to examine the papers of the Primary Education Department (DPE).
Print Association officials say that every year the publishing of new books starts in June. However, this year in August-September, we could not start the publication at a full speed. As a result, we are skeptical of whether we can finish the book printing in the right time. On the other hand, NCTB claims that students can get books in the right time. The matter of complexity had already been solved. On this regard NCTB Chairman Prof Narayan Chandra Saha told the Bangla Tribune, ‘DPE has recruited an inspection team to monitor the printing process of primary-level books. They did a little delay to do this. Later it was resolved. We have ordered to print the books including the tasks of CD. Already some books have been printed. The work of sending books to the education office has started this week. Hopefully, the printing of all books will be finished in the due time.