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DHAKA, April 29, 2026 (BSS) - Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon today said as per the government's election promise, the piloting programme of the distribution of free school dresses, shoes and jute bags among government primary school students will begin in next July.
He made the remarks while briefing reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Secretariat here this morning.
The Education minister said under this programme, initially one set of school dress, shoes and jute bag will be given to class-I students of two government primary schools in each upazila of the country.
"Our programme will be visible within the next 180 days. It will be gradually expanded to all government primary schools across the country and later to madrasa and ebtedayi students," he said.
Dr Milon said alongside to the government, the country's big business organisations and industrial entrepreneurs have come forward under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to implement this programme.
BGMEA has already promised to provide one lakh sets of dresses and shoes, he said.
He hoped that big organisations like BKMEA, BTMA and Bashundhara Group will also actively participate in this initiative.
At the briefing, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam highlighted the importance of this programme and the government's capacity.
He said the government has the full capacity to distribute free school dresses, jute bags and shoes to students across the country.
Since the state is currently ensuring free books and mid-day meals to students and that is why implementing this new programme is not difficult for the government, he said.
The state minister said as a result of this initiative, a helpless father can be sure that there is no more personal expense behind his child's education.
Regarding the involvement of businessmen, Mir Shahe Alam said, "Prime Minister wants established businessmen and organisations of the society to also be partners in this humanitarian activity. The main purpose of bringing the state, businessmen and various organisations on one platform is to work together for the welfare of the commoners at the grassroots."
Under the pilot programme, he said, this facility will be provided to at least class-I students of two government primary schools in each upazila. The government has already taken this decision and preparations have been completed accordingly, he added.
Shahe Alam said later, the number of schools will be further increased according to the number promised by the businessmen, and all students across the country will be brought under this facility in phases.
"We held a meeting today to mainly expand this programme," he said.
About the quality of clothes and bags, the state minister said the designs of bags and clothes have already been finalised through an expert team.
There will be the same type of clothes and bags for all male students across the country and the same design of dresses and bags for female students, so that there is no discrimination, he said.
The inter-ministerial meeting was attended by Prime Minister's Education and Primary and Mass Education Adviser Dr Mahdi Amin, State Minister for Textiles and Jute Shariful Alam, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj, State Minister for Cultural Affairs Ali Newaz Mahmood Khyom and BGMEA President Mahmudul Haque Babu, secretaries of the concerned ministries and representatives of different industrial groups.
