Cost of printing primary class 4-5 textbooks rises by Tk 23.67 crore across 94 lots, purchase committee approves

The government's cost of printing primary-level textbooks for classes 4 and 5 for the 2026 academic year is rising by Tk 23.67 crore. The extra cost across 94 lots comes from printing additional formes of the books.

The total contract price for printing the books will rise from Tk 187 crore to Tk 210.78 crore, an increase of about 12.65 percent over the original contract price.

The proposal was approved on Thursday (12 November) at a meeting of the cabinet committee on government purchase chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.

According to meeting sources, a total of 98 lots had been created for printing primary class 4 and 5 textbooks for the 2026 academic year. The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education proposed the extra spending because the formes of the printed books increased in 94 of those lots.

Under the ministry's proposal, extended formes of a total of 36,290,792 copies of textbooks must be printed across the 94 lots, at an additional cost of Tk 236,768,464.

The original contract price for printing these books was Tk 1,871,091,764. With the extra cost added, the revised contract price will stand at Tk 2,107,860,228.

Various printing firms have been considered as recommended bidders for the extended-forme printing work. After reviewing the proposal, the cabinet committee on government purchase recommended it for approval.

However, meeting sources said the proposal did not give details of why the formes of the books had increased.