Dhaka: State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj announced a pilot programme aimed at distributing free uniforms, shoes, and school bags to more than 350,000 students in government primary schools nationwide, set to commence in July-August.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Hajjaj outlined the government’s plan to include over 25,000 primary schools in this initiative, with the pilot phase concluding by December. The government intends to expand the distribution to all primary schools from next year. The programme will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman before the government’s first 180 days in office are completed.
The announcement was made during a press conference at the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, where State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md Shariful Alam and State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam were also present. Prior to the announcement, an inter-ministerial meeting titled ‘Pilot Distribution of Environment-Friendly Jute School Bags Among Primary School Students’ was held.
Hajjaj explained that the pilot project will unfold in phases, starting with 100,000 students. The distribution will extend through August, September, and October, eventually reaching more than 350,000 students. The project includes multiple government primary schools from each upazila to ensure comprehensive coverage, involving over 25,000 schools.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman envisions building a modern educational foundation in Bangladesh, supported by several ministries, Hajjaj stated. The Textiles and Jute Ministry will contribute 500,000 eco-friendly jute school bags at no cost, while the LGRD and Cooperatives Ministry will offer logistical and administrative support for efficient distribution.
Acknowledging the country’s riverine geography and heavy rainfall, the bags will be produced with special technology to ensure they are waterproof, Hajjaj noted. This will protect students’ materials from rain, and any technical issues identified during the pilot will be rectified before the full-scale project is launched.
Based on the pilot’s success, nationwide distribution of these materials is slated to begin in January 2027 under the Fifth Primary Education Development Program (PEDP-5). Hajjaj emphasized that PEDP-5 will be Bangladesh’s largest education program, led by Prime Minister Rahman, aiming to transform the primary education system.