Sale of banned guidebooks with changed covers rampant in Dohar
Mahbubur Rahman Tipu, Dohar (Dhaka)
Despite government directives prohibiting guidebooks outside the prescribed curriculum, low-quality guidebooks are rampant in every high school in Dohar Upazila.
Students and parents report being compelled to purchase these guidebooks from various publishers under the instructions of classroom teachers. However, Upazila Secondary Education Officer Md. Rakib Hasan has stated that guidebooks are completely banned, and strict action will be taken against teachers who encourage or force their purchase, following an investigation.
Investigations reveal that guidebooks for the 2025 syllabus, specifically English 1st/2nd Papers and Bangla 1st/2nd Papers, published under the name "Lecture Publication" with two authors’ names attached, have been distributed to several educational institutions in the upazila. Students, held hostage by teachers, are being forced to buy these substandard guidebooks from Mohona Library in Meghula Bazar and Adarsha Library in Joypara, facilitated by their agent, Elias Mia. These guidebooks, sold at high prices, are being used alongside board textbooks for classes six to ten in the current academic year, in violation of the ban. Students are reportedly being cheated, while the owners of Mohona and Adarsha libraries, along with supplier Elias Mia, are profiting. A portion of the book sales revenue has allegedly been pre-paid to teachers in several educational institutions in the upazila.
On-site visits confirmed that schools such as Maura Emdad Ali High School, Madhurkhola High School, Muksudpur Samsuddin Shikdar High School, Sutarpara AK Kindergarten High School, Abdul Hamid High School, and Joypara Model Pilot High School follow the same practice. Each year, these guidebooks are repackaged with changed covers and author names, and sold in the market. Allegations suggest that library owners and their agents collude with school and madrasa teachers, bribing them with substantial sums to force students to purchase these banned guidebooks. It is further alleged that students who refuse to buy these guidebooks face mental and physical harassment from teachers, compelling parents to purchase them at inflated prices from designated libraries.
Observations at various reputable schools in the upazila revealed that students are carrying guidebooks published under Lecture Publication with names of two or three authors. These banned guidebooks are being used in classrooms by both students and teachers. This issue is not limited to secondary schools but extends to government primary schools, madrasas, and private schools in the upazila, where students are seen with these low-quality guidebooks.
Students from the aforementioned schools reported that class teachers and headteachers mandate the purchase of these substandard guidebooks from Lecture Publication. They allege that failure to bring these guidebooks to school results in mental pressure and harassment under various pretexts, forcing them to comply.
Several parents, including Lucky Akter, stated that due to pressure on their children, they are compelled to buy multiple guidebooks for each subject. This not only increases mental stress on students but also allows library owners to extract excessive profits. Parents further allege that teachers’ association leaders and headteachers are taking large sums from publishers to enforce the purchase of these guidebooks.
Teachers, however, offer a different perspective, claiming that guidebooks are recommended due to the creative question format to aid students’ understanding, but no pressure is applied. They assert that this is done for the students’ benefit.
Both Upazila Secondary Education Officer Md. Rakib Hasan and Primary Education Officer Nazmush Shihar reiterated that guidebooks are completely banned. They assured that any teachers found encouraging or forcing their purchase will face strict action following an investigation.
Dohar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Mobile Court Magistrate Tasfiq Sibgat Ullah said, if the Secondary and Primary Education Officers seek assistance, operations will be conducted to seize substandard guidebooks from the implicated libraries, and appropriate legal action will be taken as per regulations.
Dohar UNO Tania Tabassum added that if evidence is found of teachers forcing students to buy guidebooks in exchange for money, strict action will be taken against them. She also confirmed that mobile court operations will be conducted in libraries across various markets in the upazila to address the issue.
Investigations reveal that guidebooks for the 2025 syllabus, specifically English 1st/2nd Papers and Bangla 1st/2nd Papers, published under the name "Lecture Publication" with two authors’ names attached, have been distributed to several educational institutions in the upazila. Students, held hostage by teachers, are being forced to buy these substandard guidebooks from Mohona Library in Meghula Bazar and Adarsha Library in Joypara, facilitated by their agent, Elias Mia. These guidebooks, sold at high prices, are being used alongside board textbooks for classes six to ten in the current academic year, in violation of the ban. Students are reportedly being cheated, while the owners of Mohona and Adarsha libraries, along with supplier Elias Mia, are profiting. A portion of the book sales revenue has allegedly been pre-paid to teachers in several educational institutions in the upazila.
On-site visits confirmed that schools such as Maura Emdad Ali High School, Madhurkhola High School, Muksudpur Samsuddin Shikdar High School, Sutarpara AK Kindergarten High School, Abdul Hamid High School, and Joypara Model Pilot High School follow the same practice. Each year, these guidebooks are repackaged with changed covers and author names, and sold in the market. Allegations suggest that library owners and their agents collude with school and madrasa teachers, bribing them with substantial sums to force students to purchase these banned guidebooks. It is further alleged that students who refuse to buy these guidebooks face mental and physical harassment from teachers, compelling parents to purchase them at inflated prices from designated libraries.
Observations at various reputable schools in the upazila revealed that students are carrying guidebooks published under Lecture Publication with names of two or three authors. These banned guidebooks are being used in classrooms by both students and teachers. This issue is not limited to secondary schools but extends to government primary schools, madrasas, and private schools in the upazila, where students are seen with these low-quality guidebooks.
Students from the aforementioned schools reported that class teachers and headteachers mandate the purchase of these substandard guidebooks from Lecture Publication. They allege that failure to bring these guidebooks to school results in mental pressure and harassment under various pretexts, forcing them to comply.
Several parents, including Lucky Akter, stated that due to pressure on their children, they are compelled to buy multiple guidebooks for each subject. This not only increases mental stress on students but also allows library owners to extract excessive profits. Parents further allege that teachers’ association leaders and headteachers are taking large sums from publishers to enforce the purchase of these guidebooks.
Teachers, however, offer a different perspective, claiming that guidebooks are recommended due to the creative question format to aid students’ understanding, but no pressure is applied. They assert that this is done for the students’ benefit.
Both Upazila Secondary Education Officer Md. Rakib Hasan and Primary Education Officer Nazmush Shihar reiterated that guidebooks are completely banned. They assured that any teachers found encouraging or forcing their purchase will face strict action following an investigation.
Dohar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Mobile Court Magistrate Tasfiq Sibgat Ullah said, if the Secondary and Primary Education Officers seek assistance, operations will be conducted to seize substandard guidebooks from the implicated libraries, and appropriate legal action will be taken as per regulations.
Dohar UNO Tania Tabassum added that if evidence is found of teachers forcing students to buy guidebooks in exchange for money, strict action will be taken against them. She also confirmed that mobile court operations will be conducted in libraries across various markets in the upazila to address the issue.
