Nahid makes sudden visit to printing presses

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid yesterday made a "surprise" visit to Banglabazar in the capital to check the quality of papers being used for the secondary textbooks which will be distributed among the students next year.

The visit was made after some printers made allegations that the papers supplied by the government were substandard, sources at the education ministry said.

The minister, with over 20 vehicles carrying officials of the ministry and National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), and journalists, first visited a printing press, Monir Press, at 5/1 Protapdas Lane, which had an order for over nine lakh copies of secondary-level textbooks.

Nahid took a paper specimen for a laboratory test and then went to its warehouse. "We wanted to see whether they are using the papers that we had provided them and  the printing and binding quality of the textbooks. And we are satisfied," said Nahid.

However, some printers of the area, seeking anonymity, claimed that they got to know about the visit two days before and therefore many printers were prepared. An employee of the Monir Press said they also learned about the visit a day before.

Asked how the minister would ensure the quality of about 33 crore textbooks for primary and secondary levels, Nahid said it is not possible to check all. But NCTB officials have regularly been monitoring each of the printing presses and will continue the work till the end, Nahid added.