'Textbook Festival Day 2016' has been celebrated in all the academic institutions at primary and secondary levels including madrashas in the metropolitan cities yesterday on the first day of the new academic session. Staff Reporter from Barisal adds: Over 22 lakh primary and secondary level students of Barisal division received around two crore free textbooks yesterday. The textbook festival of primary level began on Doha Government Primary School premises yesterday morning. Lawmaker Jebunnesa Afroz inaugurated the programme attended as the chief guest. Additional SP Anisur Rahman presided over the programme.
The divisional secondary level book festival began at Government Girls' School of the city. Barisal divisional commissioner Md Gaus inaugurated the festival as the chief guest. The programme presided over by Mahbuba Begum, headmaster of the school, while Regional deputy director of secondary and higher secondary directorate Barisal region Md Mustafizur Rahman addressed the programme. Office of the deputy director primary education Barisal office sources said a total 11,793 primary and secondary level educational institutes in six districts of Barisal division need 1.93  crore books for its 22, 14,  897 students but the department received 98 per cent
of the books.
National Curriculum Textbook Board (NCTB) failed to supply some of these books in Gournadi and Agoijhara upazila of the district. But local authority managed the book from the stocks of Madaripur and Shariatpur district. Acknowledging the fact Mahbub Elahi, DD primary education of Barisal division, said that its a minor report as the department solved that collected book from nearest districts.
Our Correspondent from Rajshahi adds:  This year necessary measures have been taken to
distribute 29,56,450 pieces of text books among 58,350 students of secondary level, 4,04,650 new books among 7,920 students of Dakhil and 2,25,100 books among 7,570 Ebtedaie level students  under Rajshahi district.
Lawmaker Fazle Hossain Badsha inaugurated the ‘Textbook Festival Day’ by handing over books to the students of at Government Girls High School, Helenabad in the city.
He said the present government has been distributing free textbooks to both primary and secondary students since 2010 aimed at ensuring education for all to free the nation from the curse of illiteracy.
Dr Shormin Ferdoush Chowdhury, acting deputy director of Secondary and Higher Secondary, Rajshahi region presided over the programme.
Our Correspondent from Rangpur adds: Md Delwar Bakth, divisional commissioner, Rangpur Division inaugurated the festival at Jummapara Government Primary School yesterday.According to the sources, this year a total of 5, 93, 206 students of 2, 251 schools will receive 25, 57,090 pieces of free books while the students of class VI to class IX will get 33, 11, 669 books.Students of six Dakhil Madrasha will get 7, 28,144 books, Ebtedai Madrasha will get 3, 72, 040 books and the students vocational students will get 64, 554 books.
Staff Reporter of Khulna adds: Lawmaker of Khulna Sadar constituency Mizanur Rahman Mizan yesterday as chief guest inaugurated the textbooks festival at Khulna Zila School play ground in the city yesterday. Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Khulna Zone arranged the free textbooks distribution ceremony. A total of 2,45,59,677 textbooks was distributed today among 19,89,082 primary, secondary, ebtedayi, dakhil and SSC (Vocational) students in Khulna region today. Administrator of Khulna Zila Parishad Sheikh Harunur Rashid, Additional Divisional Commissioner of Khulna Md Faruk Hossain, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Khulna Md Mostafa Kamal were present as special guests.