Committee to monitor free textbook distribution

The government yesterday formed a 13-member committee to monitor the printing and distribution activities of textbooks for free at primary and secondary levels in the academic year 2010.
The committee headed by Prof Akhtaruzzaman of Dhaka University would provide necessary advice for purchasing/collecting papers for textbooks and monitor printing and distribution activities of the textbooks, says a government circular.
The committee can co-opt members if needed and the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) would provide financial and secretarial assistances to the committee.
Talking to The Daily Star, Prof Akhtaruzzaman, convener of the committee, said the committee might be formed as a follow up of the earlier committee formed to resolve the textbook crises.
The other members of the committee are Prof Syed Manzoorul Islam of DU, directors-general of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Directorate and Technical Education Directorate, former director general of Primary Education Directorate Prof Aziz Ahmed Chowdhury, a representative of Dhaka Metropolitan Police equivalent to Deputy Commissioner rank, additional director general (operation) of Rab, chairman of Bangladesh Inter-education Board Coordination Subcommittee, former chairman of the NCTB Prof Kafil Uddin Ahmed, Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, head of news of ATN Bangla, deputy secretary of Primary and Mass Education Md Abul Kashem Bhuiyan and deputy secretary of Education Ministry (technical-1) Md Alef Uddin.