Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today said his government has a plan to develop a habit of reading books among children, by bringing them out of mobile phones.

“We want to develop the habit of reading books. We want to bring children out of mobile phones and into playgrounds and books. This is a plan we have,” he said. 

The Prime Minister said this while visiting the historic Jashore Institute Public Library and talking to the people present there this afternoon.

“How successful we will be is a different matter. But, we want to start the work,” he said.

Tarique Rahman, also ruling BNP chairman, said, “You have already seen that I sat with Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed. From the government side, we want to work with them”.

Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed is the founder of Bishwo Shahitto Kendro, which works on book reading. 

“We are thinking of moving forward targeting two primary schools in each upazila where we will provide books for children. These will not be political books. Beyond politics, there are many education books,” the Prime Minister said, adding, “We will give such books that would help children learn and understand many things, including religion and the world”.

Photo: PMO

Noting that there is a plan to introduce assessment for the books, which children will read, Tarique Rahman said, “By giving books, we want to gradually build reading habits among the children.”

After unveiling the foundation stone plaque of the Jashore Medical College Hospital, the Prime Minister visited the Jashore Institute Public Library. At that time, he went around the historic library and talked to its officials.

The Jashore Public Library was established in 1851 in Jashore town. It is one of the oldest libraries in Bangladesh and one of the oldest in South Asia. At the very beginning of the movement to establish public libraries in the Indian subcontinent, this library was established. 

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee and State Minister Forhad Hossain Azad, State Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary AAM Saleh Shibly and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman were present on the occasion, among others.