The government’s free textbook distribution initiative has encountered a massive financial setback this year due to inefficiencies and syndicates involved in the printing process. The government, which printed 396 million textbooks for primary and secondary schools, has reportedly lost more than Tk 1,500 crore, with significant portions of the funds misappropriated through inflated costs, substandard printing, and an artificial paper crisis.
According to sources from the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), two major syndicates have been responsible for siphoning off large sums of money. One syndicate, consisting of printing house owners, is accused of charging the government inflated rates for the production of textbooks. This cost increase is estimated to have caused a loss of approximately Tk 800 crore. The other syndicate, involving paper mill owners, played a key role by artificially creating a paper crisis, raising the price of paper by Tk 345 crore.
The issue deepened when printing houses violated government directives and used low-quality paper for about 20 percent of the textbooks, leading to another estimated loss of Tk 355 crore. This news has raised serious concerns about the accountability and transparency of the system responsible for printing and distributing textbooks to millions of students across the country.
Inflated Costs and Lack of Transparency: The process of printing free textbooks this year involved syndicates that took advantage of the government’s lack of oversight and urgency. Press owners, who were hired according to the Public Procurement Rules (PPR), raised their rates by 19.1 to 20 percent above the estimated cost set by the NCTB. In some cases, only one tender was submitted for the printing of textbooks, giving the press owners the ability to set their own prices without competition.
Sources from the NCTB confirmed that about 40 percent of the tenders saw minimal competition, and the press owners’ syndicate utilized the high workload in a short time frame to their advantage. Although the NCTB recognized the presence of these syndicates, it was unable to do much to control the prices due to the urgency of meeting the textbook demand.
The press owners justified the price increase by claiming that market conditions, including rising material costs and high bank loan rates, made the higher costs inevitable. However, this rationale has been dismissed by many as a cover for systemic corruption and profiteering. Despite the excuse given by the press owners, there is widespread belief that the price hike was an organized effort to exploit the government’s position, resulting in the loss of nearly Tk 783 crore more than expected.
Substandard Printing and Poor Quality Control: Adding to the financial mismanagement were allegations that up to 20 percent of the printed textbooks were made with substandard paper, which did not meet the required quality specifications outlined by the NCTB. These textbooks were found to have a low thickness, reduced brightness, and a lower durability factor (bursting factor), which not only compromised the quality of education but also led to further financial losses.
Two printing houses were caught red-handed while printing textbooks on low-quality paper in December, and it was discovered that smaller presses were primarily responsible for this subpar work. Despite the identification of these low-quality textbooks, the press owners were not penalized or held accountable for their actions. The government blacklisted 26 printing houses for failing to deliver books on time, but for unclear reasons, these institutions were later reinstated, and no further action was taken. This lack of enforcement and accountability further exacerbates the financial loss and undermines the integrity of the entire process.
Artificial Paper Crisis and Price Gouging: One of the most shocking aspects of this year’s textbook printing saga was the role of paper mill owners in creating an artificial paper crisis. Although the international price of paper did not rise, paper mill owners in Bangladesh increased the price of paper by as much as 30,000 taka per ton during the critical textbook printing season last December. The NCTB had estimated the requirement for 1.15 lakh tons of paper to print the textbooks, which meant that the paper mill owners made substantial profits at the government’s expense.
Despite paying higher prices, the printing houses were not provided with the necessary paper in sufficient quantities. This led to delays in the delivery of textbooks to students, and many printing houses were forced to stop printing for 12 hours every day over a span of three months. Several printing house owners also lobbied the government to allow them to import paper to break the paper mill owners’ monopoly, but no concrete action was taken.
The Bangladesh Printing Industry Association, in a letter sent to the Ministry of Education in March, claimed that they were unable to meet the demand for textbooks due to the paper shortage. The letter requested permission to import paper duty-free to ensure that the printing of textbooks could be completed on time. However, despite the legitimate concerns raised by the printing houses, no solution was found, and the paper crisis continued to delay the distribution of textbooks.
Impact on Students and the Education System: The financial losses, low-quality printing, and delays in the distribution of textbooks have left millions of students across Bangladesh facing significant disruptions to their education. The textbook initiative, which is designed to ensure that every student has access to the necessary learning materials, has been tarnished by inefficiency and corruption at multiple levels.
The poor quality of the printed textbooks means that many students will have to deal with textbooks that are easily damaged, difficult to read, and lack durability. This not only affects their ability to learn effectively but also places an undue burden on families who may need to replace these books sooner than expected.
Moreover, the delay in receiving textbooks has affected the timely start of the academic year for many schools, with students being forced to wait longer than usual to receive the materials they need to begin their studies. This has led to frustration among parents, teachers, and students alike, as they struggle to make up for lost time.
The Way Forward: Accountability and Reform: To address the systemic issues that led to this massive financial mismanagement, it is essential that the government take immediate steps to hold those responsible accountable. This includes investigating the role of printing house syndicates, paper mill owners, and government officials involved in overseeing the process. Strong action should be taken against any parties found guilty of corruption, and appropriate penalties should be imposed to deter future misconduct.
In addition, the government must consider reforms to the entire textbook printing and distribution process to ensure that it is transparent, efficient, and free from corruption. This may involve revising the tendering process, introducing stricter quality control measures, and ensuring that the pricing of materials is fair and reasonable.
Finally, to prevent future artificial crises, the government should explore ways to increase domestic production capacity for printing materials, including paper, to reduce dependency on external suppliers and prevent price manipulation. Allowing printing houses to import paper during times of crisis, while closely monitoring their activities, could also help to alleviate supply shortages.
Ultimately, the success of Bangladesh’s free textbook initiative depends not only on the government’s ability to provide textbooks to every student but also on its commitment to ensuring that these resources are of the highest quality and delivered in a timely manner. Only through effective governance, accountability, and reform can the country hope to overcome the challenges currently facing its education system.
