Pry text books on open sale in Nilphamari

During a visit to six upazilas in the district, the books were seen being sold openly at most of the libraries.

Price lists were hung at many libraries. The prices are between Tk 25 and Tk 65.

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This year, distribution of free primary text books started in the district on January 9, to be completed by January 15, official sources said.

There are 472 government primary schools, 439 registered non-government primary schools, 27 community schools and 61 satellite schools in the district, which need 10,31,431 text books for 2,81,428 students.

As in last year, students from Hindu community did not get any book on Hindu religion, according Babu Girija Prosonno Roy, district secretary of one faction of Bangladesh Registered Non-government Primary Teachers Association. He is also headmaster of Uttar Ramnagar Registered Non-government Primary School in the Sadar upazila.

When contacted, Nilphamari District Primary Education Officer Abdus Sattar said he received all the books by January 27 and sent those to different thanas. The distribution was delayed in some areas as headmasters were late to take delivery.

He said libraries might be selling books "rejected" by the text book board or "collected" from printing presses.

He said he got the supply of books on Hindu religion, which will be distributed when schools will reopen after the Eid holiday.

He said a printing press named Sagar Printers in Dhaka failed to supply the Hindu religion books of class IV.

Enamul Karim, district president of another faction of Bangladesh Registered Non-government Primary Teachers Association (pro- government) however claimed that 70 per cent of text books have been distributed.

The rest except Hindu religion books for class III and IV are in hand and will be distributed after the Eid vacation.

Allegations have it that authorities of many schools submitted book lists, which far exceeded the number of students, and sold the excess books in the market.

Some guardians also alleged that old textbooks were supplied. On investigation it was found that teachers of many schools collected old books from students at the end of the last academic year and supplied those to other students this year. This also saved new books, which were sold in the market.