Like the previous years, textbook festival was celebrated through gleeful programmes and distributing textbooks among the students on Wednesday, the first day of 2020 across the country. Mirth and merriment gripped the school goers as well as their guardians during the book distribution ceremonies organized across the country.
On the day, the government distributed some 35,39,94,197 textbooks among 4,27,52,198 students from class one to class nine for the academic year 2020, according to official data. After all, the government distributed 331,47,83,369 books among 43,19,27,739 students form academic year 2010 to 2020.
Students were cheerful by getting new textbooks on the first day of the year and expressed their deep satisfaction over the distribution of free textbooks. “I am very much excited to get new books, I love the smell of new books,” said Santa, a student of class five from Motijheel Ideal School while attending the festival at a venue in Dhaka.
The guardians and teachers were also happy as their children and students got free textbook sets without any hassle. Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni inaugurated the countrywide program entitled ‘National Textbook Festival’ from Adhar Chandra Government High School in Dhaka's Savar on Wednesday.
Addressing the programme, Dipu Moni said, “We want to change the evaluation system of the exams. We want to make a system where every student will enjoy their academic study. No one will be allowed to hold protests and programs while holding students hostage and hampering their academic life.”
She urged everyone concerned to refrain from holding anyone hostage through protest programs. Chakma, Marma, Garo, Tripura, and Sadri language books have also been distributed among the Chakma, Marma, Garo, Tripura, and Sadri students. State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossain and Bangladesh Cricket icon Sakib Al Hasan distributed the textbooks among the students at Dhaka University Playground this morning.
Dr Dipu Moni handed over a set of textbooks for the JSC and Junior Dakhil Certificate (JDC) to the premier while State Minister for Primary and Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossen handed over another set of textbooks of Primary Education Completion (PEC) and Ebtedayee to her (PM).
According to our district correspondent reports from Sylhet, Chattagram, Mymensingh, Narayangaj, Khagrachhari, Rangamati, Joypurhat, Rangpur, Barisal, Rajshahi, Bogra, Pabna, Jessore and Khulna districts, students got all the textbooks in a festive and peaceful environment.
The festival was organised by National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) at every upazila of the country. Narayan Chandra Shaha, Chairman of National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) told The Bangladesh Post, “We have delivered hundred percent textbooks at upazila level according to the demand of the student ratio. We have completed all the preparations before one month of distribution. Therefore, all students have got all the books across the country in due time.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated free textbook distribution program for the academic year 2020. She opened the free textbook distribution program by handing over books of primary and secondary levels to students at a function at her official Ganabhaban residence.
