The government has held a meeting with business leaders to introduce a programme providing free uniforms and school bags for students

The government on Wednesday held a meeting with leading business figures to move forward with a nationwide initiative to distribute free school uniforms, jute-made bags, and shoes to students, in line with the prime minister’s announcement.

The meeting took place at the Secretariat in Dhaka.

It was attended by Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj, State Minister for Textiles and Jute Shariful Alam, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, and the prime minister’s adviser Mahdi Amin. Business representatives included BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan, BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem, Safwan Bashundhara Global (SBG) Chairman Safwan Sobhan, and Jute Association of Bangladesh leader Khandaker Alamgir Kabir.

Also present were Mominul Ahsan, CEO of the Leather Sector Skills Council; Bangladesh Textile Mills Association President Shawkat Aziz Russell; Apex Jute Mills Limited Chairman Shahar Nur Abdal; and its Executive Director Abdul Mannan.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, State Minister Mir Shahe Alam said the distribution programme will begin in July as a pilot in two primary schools in each upazila. He noted that boys and girls will receive uniforms and badges of the same colour.

He added that the pilot phase will be funded by the government, with business leaders providing support in its implementation.