Ensure timely book festival

The festival of receiving free books is the best gift for young students at the start of the English New Year. The joy of getting new books in a new grade is unparalleled. The scent of new books stirs students’ hearts like the fragrance of flowers. Moreover, this festival embodies universality, as everyone, rich or poor, receives these books at the beginning of the English New Year. However, doubts and concerns have arisen about whether this universal book festival will take place on January 1.

Reports in the media indicate that the interim government plans to print 400 million new books for the upcoming year. Yet, with only two months left in the year, the printing process has not even begun. The tender process for secondary school books has also not been completed. Publishers are stating that, under these circumstances, it will not be possible for all the books to reach students before March.

After the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government on August 5, the new curriculum was canceled, and books would be printed according to the 2012 curriculum. A decision was also made to revise the books.

Meanwhile, the revision work was completed last week. With the return to the previous curriculum, the number of books has increased 90 million. While the book printing process typically begins in July, it has not been possible to deliver the books on time. This year, the tender for secondary school books has yet to be issued.

The question arises: why is the administrative emphasis needed to complete the process of printing new books absent? We believe that this situation has arisen due to the government's lack of a specific plan and the slow pace of decision-making.

Although there have been various unexpected incidents in the past regarding book distribution, publishers have often failed to deliver books to students on time. Poor-quality paper was used in textbooks, and the printing was often unclear. Additionally, books intended for free distribution would sometimes ended up being sold on the black market. In 2001, due to the dishonesty of printing companies and those responsible for publishing, it was not possible to print books on time, resulting in students not receiving their books in a timely manner. To address these issues, the government decided in 2009 to hold a festival for the distribution of free books. This festival took place for the first time on January 1, 2010, and the government has successfully continued this tradition since then, although the festival was canceled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the other hand, the NCTB requires 80,000 metric tons of paper for the books. The main material for this paper (pulp) has to be imported from abroad. If the government delays in granting approval, it will become difficult to print the books on time.

In this situation, we need to think ahead about whether there is enough paper stock in the country for printing free books for the coming year. We must note that the education ministry is the biggest victim of rising paper prices, as they are the largest consumers of books in Bangladesh. Therefore, it is essential to engage with the commerce and finance ministries to resolve this issue quickly.

Any negligence or instability that disrupts the continuity of the book festival is unacceptable. It’s important to remember that a noble initiative should not be jeopardized due to the failures of a few individuals. Thus, authorities must take proactive and effective measures to address these problems and crises. The book festival must be held on time.