About 45 million students of class I-IX across the country received their textbooks from their respective schools on the New Year's Day, report agencies.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman inaugurated the book distribution programme at Motijheel Govertment Boys' School in the capital around 10am on Thursday.
Talking to reporters on the occasion, the minister noted that about 320 million textbooks will be distributed among the students this year.
This year, two new textbooks on Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) and Career Education have been introduced for class IX students, while one textbook for Technical and Vocation Education for class VIII students, he added.
The country wore a festive mood as students thronged their schools to collect new books defying the countrywide general strike. The students became happy soon after getting new books. Many of them were seen smelling the books.
Speaking at the festival, Nahid said, "The number of students has increased and at the same time the dropout rate of students has decreased due to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's timely decision."
Justifying his statement he said that the number of students was 2,76,62,529, in all the primary, secondary schools and madrasas in 2010 while the number is now 4,44,52,374.
Referring to the distribution of books free of cost, the minister said, "It is a rare example in the world. Many rich countries even could not distribute books free of cost. But Bangladesh did it."
Students receive textbooks on New Year\\\'s Day
FE Team | Published: January 02, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
Share if you like