The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has decided to print about 300 crore textbooks in the new academic year. In order to avoid printing books on low-quality paper and not following the specifications (set standards) of the tender in previous years, NCTB has decided to print books on special paper in the 2026 academic year. NCTB Editor-in-Chief Muhammad Fatihul Qadir confirmed the matter. In addition, it is reported that the cost of printing secondary and primary books in the new academic year is reduced by about 500 crore compared to last year.
Muhammad Fatihul Qadir told that there are often questions about the demand that NCTB gives for printing books. Therefore, the books will be printed on special paper and in one color in the new academic year. The factory will be given work after discussing it with the ministry. The factory will prepare paper separately for NCTB.
Regarding the books going to the press, he said that the evaluation work of the tender for the 6th and 7th class books is ongoing. The books will go to the press only after the evaluation. The date will be announced after the meeting. In addition, the tender for the first, second, and third class books will be opened or published, later evaluated and will go to the press. The tender process will be completed step by step by June. He also said that there is no change in the curriculum in the new year’s textbooks. The books will be delivered to 585 distribution centers across the country within the specified time, i.e. by November 30.
According to sources from the Production and Distribution Branch of NCTB, about 8.5 crore books will be printed in primary and about 21 crore books in secondary in the new academic year. And in the 2025 academic year, about 40 crore books were printed. This time, about 10 crore have decreased to about 30 crore. It has been decided not to print about 5 crore books for class 10 and another 5 crore books for additional subjects in the 2026 academic year.
Apart from this, the cost of printing secondary books in the new academic year (2026) has been estimated at around 15.56 billion taka and primary books at around 423 crore taka. However, it is reported that in the 2025 academic year, around 16 billion taka was spent on secondary books and around 449 crore taka on primary books.
Meanwhile, the 2012 curriculum books were taught in the fourth and fifth grades of primary until the 2025 academic year. From the 2026 academic year, revised 2021 edition books will be given to the students of the fourth and fifth grades.