Bishwa Shahitya Kendra (BSK) and Grameenphone awarded 6,313 students in Chittagong division in Bangladesh in recognition of excellence in reading books that they displayed. The award ceremony was held last Friday at the city’s City Corporation Municipal High School premises, and was inaugurated by AJM Nasir Uddin, Honourable Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation. Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Founder President of BSK; and Shaon Azad, Circle Business Head of Grameenphone at Chittagong were also present at the program.
Eminent personalities present in the event included Dr. Md. Mahmud-Ul-Haq, Additional Secretary and Project Director at SEQAEP; Begum Sarwar Jahan, Honourable Acting Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong Division; Abul Momen, Writer and Journalist; Anisul Hoque, Joint Editor of Prothom Alo; Md. Abul Hossain, Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Chittagong City Corporation; Professor Dr. Md. Golam Faruk, Director, Directorate of Secondary & Higher Education Office of the Chittagong region; Rejia Akhter, Acting Principal of Chittagong City Corporation Municipal Model School and College; Sharif Md. Masud, Director of BSK; and Alex Aleem, Associate Professor, and Organizer of Chittagong Division.
In 2016, nearly 17,000 students from 81 schools in Chittagong Division participated in the Book Reading Competition. The two-day award ceremony was organized to reward the participants who successfully proved their mettle. Students present at the event were provided with apt encouragement through inspirational speeches by the present guests.
Mayor said, “Students need to develop themselves by reading books. They must improve human qualities in them by reading not only textbooks but also others”.
Abdullah Abu Sayeed said, “There is a powerful source in everyone’s soul. We need to ignite that by reading books. And we can do that. All have to do a lot to gain in life”.
On behalf of Grameenphone, Shaon Azad said,“The journey of our life is never smooth. However, knowledge helps to smoothe the road out, and takes us places. Expansion of book reading programs across the country will take us from darkness towards light.‘ He urged the students to read more books. He informed that books can be read online at http://www.alorpathshala.org, and the practice has already become popular. He ended his speech warmly congratulating all the awardees“.
Sharif Md. Masud, Director of BSK, thanked the students, guardians, teachers, organizers, and patronizers for contributing to the successful organization of the year-long Book Reading competition. He expressed hope for expansion of the program and increase in the number of participants in future.
Out of the 6,313 participants, 4,286 students were presented with awards today. 2,027 students will be presented with awards in the third round tomorrow.
Under its country-based excellence program, BSK has been conducting Book Reading competition in nearly 2,000 educational institutions around Bangladesh. Till date, students in Dhaka, Barisal, Rajshahi, Chittagong, and Khulna Divisions have been awarded through festive ceremonies. On March 24, 2017, 3,543 students in Khulna will be awarded. In case of educational institutions outside the five divisions, students are awarded through institution-based programs.
