The government is planning to begin distributing free uniforms and shoes to students of government primary schools across Bangladesh from August this year, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj said on Thursday.
He said the initiative will initially be implemented in phases and is expected to eventually cover around 1.07 crore primary school students nationwide.
Speaking at a meeting with representatives of leading footwear companies at the ministry conference room, the state minister said a pilot project is already underway as part of the government’s 180-day programme to evaluate the effectiveness of providing quality uniforms and shoes to students at the primary level.
Bobby Hajjaj said the government has already received positive responses from major organisations in the ready-made garment sector. With their cooperation, more than four lakh uniforms have been made available for the pilot phase, and similar collaboration is expected from footwear manufacturers.
He noted that discussions were held on supplying white velcro shoes without laces for Class 1 students, who are typically around six years old. The ministry has sought feedback from companies on sizing, product variations, gender-specific requirements and possible supply capacity.
The state minister also urged footwear companies to submit detailed proposals regarding production costs, donation options and delivery timelines. He said the government intends to build a long-term partnership with the industry to support large-scale distribution in the future.
He added that the goal is to demonstrate visible progress in the pilot programme by August, with implementation expected within the first six months of the current government’s tenure.
Officials from the Primary and Mass Education Ministry and representatives of footwear companies were also present at the meeting.
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