Bashundhara Group Supports Free School Supplies Initiative

The Government of Bangladesh has announced a comprehensive welfare programme to provide primary school students with free school uniforms, footwear, and jute bags. Scheduled for commencement in July 2026, the initiative is designed to alleviate the financial burden on families and encourage school attendance. To ensure the successful execution of this nationwide scheme, the government has sought the collaboration of the private sector, receiving significant commitments from the country’s leading industrial conglomerates, most notably the Bashundhara Group.

Strategic Inter-Ministerial Meeting

The decision was formalised during an inter-ministerial meeting held on Wednesday, 29 April, at the Secretariat. The session was presided over by Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque Milan, Minister for Education and Primary and Mass Education. Key officials and stakeholders in attendance included:

• Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam, State Minister for Cultural Affairs.

• Bobby Hajjaj, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education.

• Shariful Alam, State Minister for Textiles and Jute.

• Dr. Mahdi Amin, Adviser and Spokesman to the Prime Minister.

• Safwan Sobhan, Vice Chairman of Bashundhara Group.

• Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, President of BGMEA.

• Shaukat Aziz Russell, President of BTMEA.

Following the meeting, the Education Minister announced that the programme would initially launch as a pilot project in selected upazilas starting this July. Based on the outcomes and continued corporate support, the distribution will eventually expand across the entire country.

Corporate Commitments and Social Responsibility

The private sector has demonstrated a proactive stance toward the government’s 180-day educational reform agenda. The Bashundhara Group has pledged to supply all necessary school bags and footwear for the students. Furthermore, Vice Chairman Safwan Sobhan indicated a future commitment to providing electric school buses to enhance student transportation.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has already committed to providing 100,000 sets of uniforms and bags for the pilot phase. The Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMEA) has also expressed its full solidarity, promising to work alongside the BGMEA to facilitate the supply chain.

Distribution Framework and Scope

The programme will initially prioritise government primary school students, with plans to include Ebtedayee Madrasas and high schools in subsequent phases. The uniforms, bags, and shoes will follow a standardised design and colour scheme to ensure uniformity across the nation.

Collaborative Governance

The State Minister for Local Government emphasised that while the state possesses the financial capacity to fund this project—similar to its existing free textbook and mid-day meal programmes—the Prime Minister intends to involve the business community to foster a sense of collective national responsibility.

Currently, the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Local Government have finalised plans to cover Class I students in two primary schools within each upazila. The government intends to scale this quantity rapidly as more corporate entities confirm their specific contributions following internal board deliberations.