Bangladesh, July 14 -- The January Paper Chase

Unfinished content: Curriculum revisions and four completely new subjects are still unwritten as the deadline looms large

Tight deadlines: Tender approvals could push the start of mass printing to September, leaving very little room for error

Supply logistics: Printers warn of looming paper shortages and cash flow issues due to Tk 180m in unpaid government bills

Political revisions: New textbooks will feature historic updates, including Ziaur Rahman as the proclaimer of independence

For generations of Bangladeshi students, the first day of January has meant one thing above all else: the excitement of opening crisp, new textbooks handed out free of charge at school.

That longstanding tr...