Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Saturday urged the youths to develop the reading-habit and take books as weapons of building a healthy and enlightened life.
“Books help people to know themselves and give lessons to become conscious to purify the society,” he told a book unveiling ceremony at the Grantha Unmochan Kendra in the Amar Ekushey Book Fair on Suhrawardy Udyan premises here.
Dr Hasan said though the number of readers is gradually coming down due to widespread use of social media in the modern era, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair draws huge bookworms and publishers.
The minister said the increasing trend of publication of new books, book stalls and crowds in the fair every year proves that the social media addiction could not keep the people away from reading books.
The book fair, which had a fairly modest beginning, now has extended to 8, 00,000 square feet area, he added.
Dr Hasan also urged the teachers and parents to keep the youths and teenagers away from being addicted to the social media.
The minister said, “Though we are financially solvent, Bangalee people are enough rich in literature”.
Dr Hasan unveiled covers of three books- ‘Sudur Pather Bak Periye’ of Jannatul Ferdous Panna,’Rongin Prem’ of Joya Jahan Chowdhury and ‘Amantrita’ of Rebeka Silpi- in the function.
Authors of the books, students and teachers, among other, were present on the occasion.
