Textbook printing on sub-standard papers

Muhid Hasan :
Amid increasing paper crisis, the printing presses are allegedly using low-graded paper to print textbooks. Although there was always an allegation of printing of textbooks with substandard paper, the import restriction on paper’s raw materials due to the dollar crisis and the price hike of paper has further exacerbated the problems in the country’s printing industry.
Meanwhile, printing presses are hustling at the nick of time to print textbooks for delivering on time. The textbooks will be distributed free of cost to all primary and secondary level school students on January 1, the first day of the next academic year.
After visiting Jatrabari and Matuail printing press areas it was seen that a significant number of textbooks is being printed with the second-grade papers. Besides, books are also less colorful and texts are less visible. It is clearly understandable that the qualities of the books are not up to the mark. As a result, poor quality textbooks of National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) hardly attract learners.
Owner of a printing press S.M. Mohsin said they are trying to maintain the NCTB standard. But this year paper crisis is beyond their expectation and the prices are also increasing consistently. Because of scarcity of standard paper, low-graded paper might be used to fulfil the target.
While speaking about increasing prices of paper, Tofayel Khan, President of Textbook Printing and Marketing Association, said that there is a crisis of raw materials, including pulp for
producing papers. As a result, mills are not able to produce sufficient papers resulting in prices to increase.
“We cannot import the papers and the mill owners cannot import raw materials. So, how will the problems be resolved?” he asked.
Seeking anonymity, a worker of a printing press said they are using low-graded paper because of quality paper shortage and price hike. So, colour printing in texts is less visible; it is a bit of faded, less durable and less attractive as well, he said.  
NCTB Chairman Professor Farhadul Islam said action will be taken against those who will supply low quality paper books. We have accelerated our monitoring process as they won’t get any scope to provide low quality books, he added.
We have blacklisted 26 printing press companies and rebuked another six for failing to deliver textbooks on time, the NCTB Chairman further said.
 Since 2010, the government has been distributing free textbooks to both primary and secondary level students.
For the past two years, the government could not provide all textbooks on January 1 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and complications over the tender process. Many students waited until March before they could lay their hands on all the textbooks. The NCTB received the last consignment of 30,000 books in April last.
According to the NCTB, a total of 34.62 crore books will be printed for the 2023 academic year. Of them, 9.99 crore are for pre-primary and primary students and 24.63 crore for secondary level students.