City Desk :
Officials and literary personalities at a function called for reading books for becoming enlightened citizens to build a knowledge-based society. They also mentioned that book- reading habit always removes immorality from the mindset of everybody enlightening the society, common people as well as the nation as a whole.
They expressed the views on Friday in the inaugural ceremony of the 15-day Rangpur Book Fair- 2018 organised by Rangpur Sommilito Lekhok Samaj (SLS) on the Public Library ground in Rangpur.
A total of 35 stalls have been set up on the fair premises by 26 publication houses including 23 from the capital city and three from Rangpur city.
The visitors can also purchase novels, story books and collections of poems, books for the children and other popular books recently displayed in the Ekushey Book Fair-2018 in the capital city.
Divisional Commissioner Kazi Hasan Ahmed inaugurated the fair by cutting ribbon in the launching ceremony as the chief guest with Convener of fair organising committee Sayeed Sahedul Islam in the chair. Noted poets, writers and educationists including Motiar Rahman Basunia, Professor Shah Alam, MA Basher Tipu, Rezaul Karim Mukul, Dr AIM Musa, AKM Shahidur Rahman, SM Khalil Babu, Monwar Hossain, Broz Gopal Roy and former Regional Director of Bangladesh Betar Monwara Begum, among others, addressed.
The chief guest said the book fair would be able to create interests among the common people, especially young generations, in reading books, literary and cultural activities to enrich our cultural and literary heritages.
“Everybody should purchase and read books to become enlightened citizen for building a prosperous nation with knowledgeable people having human virtues,” he said, adding that there is no alternative but to read books.
He put emphasis on arranging such events frequently to generate interests among the common people by bridging them with books to encourage in acquiring knowledge for building a more civilized society.
Member-secretary of the fair organising committee
Rezaul Karim Jiban said the book fair will remain open daily for all from 3 pm to 9 pm with provisions of special hours for children from 10 am to 3 pm on Fridays and holidays.
