Around 333.76 million textbooks are being distributed among about 4.42 million primary to ninth grade students on Friday, the first day of the New Year, which coincides with the beginning of their academic sessions.

Over 32.8 million more textbooks and exercise books are being given away to around 3.2 million children at the pre-primary level.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid inaugurated the textbook festival of the sixth to ninth grades at Govt Laboratory School in Dhaka on Friday morning.

Speaking on the occasion, he said ‘this new generation’ would carry Bangladesh forward.

Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman opened the festival of the primary and Ebtedayee levels at Mirpur National Govt Primary School in the capital.

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the festival by handing over books at the Ganabhaban to students of 18 institutions in Dhaka.

The education minister said at the event that the cost per book had been Tk 19.24.

The government distributed 299.67 million textbooks in 2014, 261.8 million in 2013, 221.07 million in 2012, 232.22 million in 2011 and 199.09 million in 2010.