Ministry of Cultural Affairs dissolves ‘Book Selection Committee’

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has dissolved its previously formed Book Selection Committee following widespread criticism on social media over book purchases made during the tenure of former National Book Centre Director Afsana Begum.

In a notification issued on Monday, the ministry said that the committee formed on 11 November 2025 to select books for grants to private libraries for the 2025–26 fiscal year has been cancelled. The order takes immediate effect.

Earlier, the government terminated its contractual appointment of Afsana Begum as Director of the National Book Centre. Subsequently, details of book procurement processes and selected book lists from her tenure circulated on social media, triggering intense criticism and controversy.

In particular, questions were raised by various quarters regarding transparency and quality after the list of books purchased by the committee was made public online. Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs decided to dissolve the Book Selection Committee.