Dhaka: The government has initiated a collaborative effort with Bishwa Shahitya Kendra (BSK) to enhance the reading habits of students nationwide. This initiative was solidified during a meeting held at the Prime Minister's Cabinet Division office at Bangladesh Secretariat, where Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and BSK founder Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed discussed strategies for nurturing a reading culture among students.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the meeting focused on developing a framework to encourage students at the primary, secondary, and higher secondary levels to engage with books more frequently. Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary, Jahidul Islam Rony, mentioned that the Prime Minister has specifically instructed relevant authorities to prioritize building a strong reading habit among students.
During the discussions, various methods to broaden the scope of the book reading programme across the country were explored. The meeting witnessed participation from Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, State Minister for Cultural Affairs Ali Newaz Mahmood Khyom, and State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj, along with Prime Minister's advisers Mahdi Amin and Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman, and senior officials from the concerned ministries.
The dialogue between the government and BSK began earlier when Professor Abu Sayeed met Prime Minister Rahman on April 7, where they initially discussed the potential for a joint venture to promote the book reading programme.