Live Correspondent: A total of 5,20,518 primary and secondary level students will get 61,16,268 new textbooks in the districts as distribution of books began here for the new year today as elsewhere in the country.

All the targeted students have started getting new books as schools and other institutions concerned inaugurated their respective book distribution programme through handing over books to students this morning maintaining health safety measures amid the Covid-19 pandemic situation.

"We have already started distributing books among the students as per the government's instruction since this morning," said Nasir Uddin, District Education Officer.

He said 1,86,000 students comprising general, technical and madrasha will get around 47 lakh new books. Required numbers of books were sent to all the government and registered non-government schools in the district for distribution among the students timely.

He, however, said all the students will get new books within 12 days of the New Year. District Primary Education Officer Abdus Salam told BSS that they have 2,86,612 eligible students for getting 13,67,862 new books. "We will also provide 48,406 books to 47,906 pre-primary students," he added.

He said the present government has been distributing free books to the school students aimed at ensuring education for all to free the nation from the curse of illiteracy. The students were very happy after getting new books on the first day of the year and we have kept five percent books as buffer stock for meeting any deficit and for the newly admitted students.

Dhaka, 01 January (campuslive24.com)//AZ