Dhaka: The government has given the green light to a proposal aimed at reducing the timeframe for the procurement process of free textbooks, with an eye towards implementation in 2026 for emergency state purposes. This decision was made during the 27th meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired virtually by Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the proposal was put forward by the Secondary and Higher Education Division. The meeting granted approval in principle under Section 83 (1) (Ka) of the Public Procurement Rules 2008. This section pertains to the printing, binding, and distribution of textbooks at no cost, to be undertaken as part of the government’s emergency state initiatives for the year 2026.
Cabinet Division officials have confirmed that the decision to streamline the procurement process is part of a broader effort to ensure timely distribution of educational materials to students across the country. The move is expected to have significant implications for the education sector, particularly in terms of accessibility and efficiency in the distribution of textbooks.