Dhaka: School feeding in government primary schools in 165 upazilas across the country began today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Director General of Primary Education Abu Noor Md Shamsuzzaman announced that the school feeding programme has been initiated in selected government primary schools. The programme seeks to enhance school attendance, maintain student focus on studies, and promote nutritional development.
Under this initiative, students will receive fortified biscuits, bananas or seasonal fruits, bread, eggs, and UHT milk five days a week. Approximately 31.13 lakh students from 19,419 government primary schools are expected to benefit from the programme until 2027.
The weekly feeding schedule includes a 120-gram bread and boiled egg on Sunday, bread and 200 grams of UHT milk on Monday, 75 grams of fortified biscuits and a banana or local seasonal fruits on Tuesday, and bread and boiled eggs on both Wednesday and Thursday. The government’s plan aims to supply 25.9 percent energy, 32.2 percent micronutrients, 16.4 percent protein, and 21.7 percent fat to the students.
The initiative also emphasizes the importance of quality education and balanced, nutritious food, supplemented by co-educational activities like games, music, debates, and lectures to support mental and character development. The DG mentioned that if the school feeding programme continues, it will contribute to boosting the academic abilities of schoolchildren.