Book Reading Activity of Bishwo Shahitto Kendro, A Concrete Nourishment to Live an Enlightened Life

Many of you have already heard the name of "Bishwo Shahitto Kendro" (BSK), also known as "World Literature Centre" in Bangladesh. As far as I know, this is an unique organization in the world which runs some stunning types of Book Reading programmes to light up the human individuals.

Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed, the lone founder of BSK had realized that, to make a country progressive and to make a nation step forward, we need thousands of broad, enlightened, liberal, brave, astounded, open-minded, free-thinking individuals. And such individuals can only be produced through the nourishment of healthy books. He started this amazing organization in the year of 1978 only with taka 30.

Now, this organization is working all over the country in more than 6000 high schools with some financial support of government and other foreign assistance. In the high schools, children get 16 different books per class to read throughout the year. In the higher secondary level, the students get more 12 world classic books per year. At the year end, the successful readers are awarded with a handful of books also.

BSK also introduced Mobile Library. This four wheeler libraries relentlessly run to the different Districts and Upazillas of Bangladesh. They have a schedule to cover a village or area once per week for a certain periods of time. Homebound and local readers take books from this library. Moreover, Bishwo Shahitto Kendro conducts a lot of Study Circle in different Universities and centrally from its main building- 14, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Dhaka-1000.

This is a bombastic effort to bring the individuals towards patience, self realization, humanity, secularity and progress. Hats off to Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed, for his extraordinary, pioneering and true realization of present needs of the society. Hope the hole nation and society will drink the payback of this enormous endeavor in near future.

Recently, BSK has awarded its successful readers of School programme-2011 (Dhaka city) at Ramna Park. Here, I am sharing some moments of this prize giving Ceremony-2012.

Dhaka To Khulna Via Jamuna and Hardinge Bridge

It was 28th August,2011, I started from Dhaka train station for Jessore. I knew that it was long route and in my imagination, I was expecting a breath refreshing journey through the middle of the green nature.

But, with the travel of time, I was being surprised by the industrialization and colonization of people in the both side of the train track. Green fields and Rivers are totally distorted to accommodate the overwhelming population of the country. The gathering came to an end after I crossed the Jamuna Bridge. Then gradually the green world was spreading its wing and I was starting to believe, yeah, a little Bangladesh is yet alive.

I traveled through Dhaka, Gazipur, Tangail, Sirajgang, Pabna, Kushtia, Chuadanga, Jhinaidah and Last of all Jessore in this journey. Here sharing some portraits of green Bangladesh taken from the different parts of train route between Dhaka and Jessore.

The Jamuna (From the Jamuna Bridge)

Evening Shadow on the Green Field (Chuadanga District)

Paddy Field (Chuadanga)

Banana field in the south part of the Hardinge bridge (over The Padma river - Kushtia)

Taken From Sirajganj

The Jamuna

Train Line Through Jhinaidah

Realizing Autumn Season (Pabna District)

From Jessore

From Tangail

Char Lands in Jamuna River (Sirajganj)

Riverine Natural Beauty of Shibchar, Madaripur

In our primary education, we have read that Bangladesh is criss-crossed by hundreds of rivers. The situation can not be realized without visiting the Shariatpur (শরীয়তপুর), Madaripur (মাদারীপুর) and other southern districts. If someone wants to take the taste of real Bangla, the taste of Bivutivushan's (বিভূতিভুষণ) Bangladesh then he must go shariatpur and Madaripur districts. Rivers along with green fields, Bogs, marshes, low lying lands besides the households delineates a typical nature of green Bangladesh.

It is not difficult to reach in Shibchar (শিবচর) from Dhaka. If anybody wishes then he can come back in Dhaka after visiting Shibchar within a day. At first one have to go Mawa ghat. There are a lot of bus services from Gulistan to Mawa ghat (মাওয়া ঘাট). From Mawa one can take his journey by launch, Speed boat or trawler. The shortest way to Shibchor is to reach in Shaiatpur ghat. If anybody wants to visit the Shariatpur ends then he has to go Majhir ghat by launch or speed boat.

Dhakeswari Temple (Mandir), Dhaka

Dhakeswari Temple (ঢাকেশ্বরী মন্দির) is one of the most oldest temple in Bangladesh. It was established by Ballal Sen (বল্লাল সেন) in 12th century. Some historians predict that the name of Dhaka city was derived from the name of this temple. Bangladesh government gave it the distinction of national temple. After the demolition of Ramna Kali Mondir (রমনা কালী মন্দির) by Pakistan army in 1971, Dhakeswari temple got the focus as a most important Hindu worship place in Bangladesh. This temple was renovated several times due to destruction in 1971 and in 1989/1990. This temple is very near to Dhaka University and can be reached by hiring a Rikshaw or Auto vehicles. It takes only 15-20 minutes from Dhaka University Campus.