Illegal notebooks and guidebooks, printed by some unscrupulous publishers, have flooded the markets in Barisal and Khulna districts.
According to our Barisal correspondent, notebooks and guidebooks are being sold openly in the city and different upazilas of the district. Bookshops at Sadar Road, Girza Moholla, Parara Road, Line Road, Anami Lane, and Band Road in the city are selling the banned books.
A mobile court led by Magistrate Shahinuzzaman yesterday conducted a drive in Sadar Road area, seized some banned note and guidebooks from two shops and fined the owners Tk 3,000 each.
Sensing the presence of law enforcers, the owners and employees of other shops fled the area, keeping shutters down.
District administration sources said drive will continue in the city and upazilas markets to stop selling the banned notebooks and guidebooks.
Some guardians held private coaching centres responsible for encouraging the students to buy notebooks and guidebooks. They said the bookstores are selling the banned books at much higher rates.
A bookseller in the city, requesting anonymity said notebooks and guidebooks were printed, giving false addresses of printers and publishers. “I have been selling the banned books since the beginning of the New Year,” he added.
"Notebooks and guidebooks are still in high demand. We sell the books for high prices to cover business risk," said another bookseller at Sadar Road in the city.
In Khulna, banned notebooks and guidebooks are being sold in the city and upazilas, reports UNB.
Almost all bookshops in the city and different upazilas are selling the banned notebooks and guidebooks secretly published by a section of unscrupulous publishers, guardians alleged.
Besides, the textbooks meant for free distribution among the secondary and primary level students are also being sold on the markets. The sellers are giving the books only to their known customers.
A notebook seller, keeping his identity secret, said he has been selling the banned books and textbooks since the beginning of the New Year.
A number of publishers printed the textbooks secretly and selling those on the markets. Those deprived of getting textbooks are being deceived after buying the printed books of the companies.
Contacted, TM Zakir Hossain, deputy director of secondary and higher education of Khulna region, said sale and marketing of notebooks and guidebooks are banned.