Only one month left for the start of the new academic year. However, the work of printing the textbooks of seven classes in primary and secondary has not yet started. About 5 crore books are being printed from first to third class only. The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has not completed the manuscript and tender process for the remaining classes of books. According to the tender, the printers have to give 50 days time to print these books. This time, 40 crore free books are to be printed for about 4.5 crore students of schools, madrasas and technical institutes. Some class books are still being revised and updated.

Those concerned say that usually at this time of the year all the books of the new academic year are finished. But this time the context is different. The book making process for the new academic year starts from June-July. This program started three months late due to the movement of students. In the month ahead, the country's printers do not have the capacity to print more than 35 crore textbooks. Besides, there may be a crisis in getting so much quality paper as required at this time. Recently manuscripts of books from class I to class III have been given to the printing house. The work of printing these class books is going on. Printing of books for classes IV to 10-7 has not yet started. As a result, there is uncertainty about getting all the books printed before January 1 and reaching the field level.

NCTB Chairman Professor AKM Riazul Hasan told Yugantar that the work of printing fourth and fifth class books will start soon. The initial phase of book printing will be completed by December. The work of tender for books of different classes of Madhyamik has been completed. The work of printing them will also begin. However, the tender process for Class IX books has not yet started. It will also start next month. Besides, the army has got the job of printing one crore books of class 10th. I am trying to finish this work on time.

He said that although it is not possible to give all the books of all classes at the beginning of the new academic year, some books will be given to the students.

Those concerned said that the paper weight of the new books of the next academic year has been increased from 70 grams to 80 grams. And the brightness has been increased from 80 to 85 percent. During the previous government, with the connivance of some dishonest and corrupt officials of NCTB, substandard printing houses were given the job of printing books.

When asked whether the quality of the books will be correct according to the agreement, NCTB chairman said, we are aware of the quality of the paper of the books. Appropriate action will be taken against any printing company trying to print books using substandard paper.

According to NCTB officials, 40 crore 15 lakh 67 thousand 202 copies of books will be printed in 964 lots for 4 crore 34 lakh 3 thousand 283 students from pre-primary to class 10. Out of this, 9 crore 19 lakh 54 thousand 355 books are being printed for 2 crore 9 lakh 44 thousand 479 students of primary.

On the other hand, 30 crore 96 lakh 12 thousand 847 copies of books are being printed for 2 crore 24 lakh 58 thousand 804 students of secondary school. In this, Ibtedayi and minority books are also added. Besides, there are 8,500 Braille books. In the new curriculum, all students were made to study 10 common subjects till class 10. But in the new academic year 2012 creative curriculum books will be given.

Officials of NCTB said that due to various reasons including delay in revision of textbooks, addition of new content, selection of graffiti for book cover, printing of all secondary books is not completed by December this year. NCTB is trying to ensure that students get some books at the beginning of the year. That is why every class from sixth to tenth is trying to print some necessary books earlier.

It is known that after the fall of the Awami League government, the Ministry of Education decided to cancel the new curriculum or National Curriculum Outline-2021 within 23 days of the interim government taking over. Therefore, the revised curriculum will be finalized in 2025 and will be fully implemented from 2026. Before this, in 2025, creative curriculum style textbooks made in 2012 will be distributed to students. Extensive changes are being made by revising and revising the textbooks. And there is department division for ninth and tenth class students. In this, the number of books is also increasing as science, business education and humanities departments are reopened. As a result, the number of book forms is also increasing and it will take more time to print.

Tofail Khan, the former president of Bangladesh Printing Association, told Yugantar that primary books can be printed by December, but secondary books are not possible. Recently the works of class VI and VII have been approved. Class VIII and Class 10 tender process has started. So it is not possible to print all the books at the beginning of the year.

Zahurul Islam, the former general secretary of Bangladesh Printing Association, told Jugantar that it will take until March to finish printing all the books of NCTB.