At the award ceremony for the Bishwo Shahitto Kendro (BSK) school program in Dhaka, speakers emphasised the vital role of reading in personal and national growth.
The event, held at the Abdul Karim Sahithabisharad Auditorium on Friday, featured discussions and prize distributions for outstanding readers.
Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed, founder of BSK, noted that in 46 years, the centre has inspired around 200 million students. He criticised the lack of support for students who wish to read beyond their textbooks, saying, “A good book opens the mind and helps students understand their studies better.” He encouraged students to dream big, stating, “If you grow, Bangladesh will grow.”
Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman highlighted that the true value of a book lies in the knowledge it imparts. He celebrated the students as winners on their path to enlightenment.
Mahfuz Anam, editor of The Daily Star, reminded students that even one book can profoundly change their perspective. He urged them to embrace their roles as global citizens and contribute positively to society.
The book reading program currently involves 250,000 students from about 1,700 educational institutions nationwide. In the 2023 academic year, over 50,000 students participated, with 18,826 achieving recognition in the evaluation phase. The ongoing awards in Dhaka will honour 5,137 students from 62 schools. This initiative aims to foster a new generation of readers who will shape the future of Bangladesh.
