As Bangladesh nears the end of February, millions of students are still without their full sets of textbooks. This is not just a delay -- it is a national emergency. The education system is in complete disarray, exposing not only the incompetence of the education advisor and the primary and mass education advisor but also the corruption within the government’s ranks. The textbook coordination committee, tasked with ensuring timely delivery, has proven itself utterly incapable of managing the process.
Professor Muhammad Yunus, as the head of the interim government, the responsibility now falls squarely on your shoulders. Your silence on this issue is deafening. The people of Bangladesh deserve to know how many times you have personally questioned your ministers about the timely distribution of textbooks. Have you demanded accountability from them? Have you investigated why millions of students are being deprived of their right to education?
The numbers are staggering. As of February 19, 70 million textbooks remained unprinted. Secondary students are the hardest hit, particularly ninth-graders, who have yet to receive essential subject books like agriculture, higher mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry, civics, and general science. Even where books have been printed, they have not reached students. Instead, we have witnessed the shameful reality that black marketeers received textbooks before schools did. This is more than government failure -- it is corruption, pure and simple. How is it that profiteers can access books before school children? What does this say about the priorities of those in charge?
Teachers are desperately downloading PDFs, trying to keep students on track. But in rural areas, where internet access is limited, many students are simply falling behind. The damage to their education is incalculable. The annual tradition of textbook distribution on January 1 was already at risk due to late tenders and logistical failures, but the current situation is beyond unacceptable -- it is catastrophic.
The education advisor and the advisor of primary and mass education have had months to fix this issue, and they have failed spectacularly. The textbook coordination committee has demonstrated that it does not understand how to execute a national distribution plan. They cannot be trusted to resolve this crisis. Professor Yunus, you must take direct control.
We have seen failures in governance before, but this crisis stands out for its sheer incompetence and corruption. This is not just a case of bureaucratic delays -- it is a failure of leadership at the highest levels. The ministers responsible for education have shown that they are not only unfit for their roles but are indifferent to the suffering of students, teachers, and parents. They had one job: To ensure that every student received their textbooks on time.
This failure is reminiscent of Sheikh Hasina’s negligence in implementing the new curriculum, which was eventually postponed. Hasina’s administration introduced a technically and culturally different curriculum (where I worked as a subject matter expert) but failed to galvanize her MPs and coordinate effectively with the various arms of the government. The lack of clear communication and leadership resulted in a chaotic implementation process, ultimately leading to the curriculum’s postponement. Professor Yunus now risks repeating the same mistake -- his inaction and lack of urgency in resolving the textbook crisis mirror Hasina’s failure to execute major educational reforms effectively.
The government’s textbook coordination committee was supposed to oversee this process and prevent delays. Instead, they have exacerbated the problem by mismanaging resources, failing to enforce deadlines, and allowing books to disappear into the black market. If they cannot do their jobs, why are they still in charge?
The fact that black marketeers received textbooks before students did is more than just an embarrassment -- it is a national scandal. This exposes the deep corruption within the system. How is it possible that unauthorized individuals had access to books before they were delivered to schools? Who in the government allowed this to happen? If textbooks were reaching the black market first, it means that people within the government itself were facilitating this illegal activity.
Bangladesh’s education system is at a breaking point, and students are being punished for the failures of those in power. The government’s incompetence and corruption are not just inconveniences -- they are actively harming the future of the country. Students who do not receive their textbooks on time fall behind in their studies. The gap between rural and urban students is widening, as those in villages often do not have access to digital versions of the missing textbooks. What will happen to these children? Will they be left behind due to the greed and failures of their leaders?
Professor Yunus, the people of Bangladesh need answers. How many times have you personally demanded accountability from the education minister and the minister of primary and mass education? Have you held meetings? Have you called for reports? Have you taken action? The people deserve to know what steps you have taken to resolve this crisis. If you have not been pressuring your ministers for solutions, then you too bear responsibility for this disaster.
We demand that the government immediately publish a full report on the textbook crisis, including:
If this issue is not resolved immediately, Bangladesh will suffer long-term consequences as an entire generation struggles with incomplete education. The ripple effects of this disaster will be felt for years.
Professor Yunus, you must act now. You must take decisive action, fire those responsible for this catastrophe, and put in place an emergency response plan to ensure every single student gets their textbooks within days, not weeks. The education advisor and the advisor of primary and mass education have had their chance and they have squandered it. Now, it is up to you to fix this mess before it is too late.
The students of Bangladesh cannot wait any longer. Deliver the textbooks. Now.
Omar Shehab is a theoretical quantum computer scientist at IBM TJ Watson Research Centre, New York. His work has been supported by several agencies including the Department of Defense in the United States
