Staff Reporter, Dhaka : Bishwo Shahitto Kendro, with the support of bKash, has inaugurated this year’s Nationwide Enrichment (Book Reading) program by distributing books among the students of Mirpur Cantonment Public School and College.

Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Founder and Chief Executive of Bishwo Shahitto Kendro and Major General Sheikh Md Monirul Islam (retd), Chief External & Corporate Affairs Officer of bKash formally inaugurated the program in a ceremony organised at Mirpur Cantonment Public School and College auditorium on Tuesday in the capital.

The event was also attended by Lt Col K M Soulaiman Al Mamun, Principal of Mirpur Cantonment Public School and College, and Humayun Kabir, Head of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs Department of bKash, among others.

Bishwo Shahitto Kendro has been conducting book reading programs across the country with a greater vision of nurturing book reading habit beyond textbooks among the students so that they can become enlightened. To make this endeavour more impactful, bKash has been associated with book reading program for nine years.

Addressing the students, Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed said, “We have to widen our vision to see the bigger perspective. Reading books on different topics can lead towards that direction. Bangladesh has to be great and it has ample of opportunities. You are the flag bearers of future Bangladesh where millions of enlightened minds will lead the country ahead”.

Mentioning the stories of successful personalities who have set example through their excellence in knowledge, Major General Sheikh Md Monirul Islam (retd) said to the students, “You have to be enlightened through reading books. If you become enlightened, country will be prosperous. That is why bKash is associated with Bishwo Shahitto Kendro’s book reading program aiming to ignite the light of knowledge in the young minds. bKash always engages with books since its inception and will continue to support in nurturing enlighten minds.”

At the program, books were handed over to the students in the presence of more than 1,200 students at the auditorium of Mirpur Cantonment Public School and College. After the book distribution, a colourful cultural program was also presented by the students.

bKash has been supporting the ‘Nationwide Enrichment (Book Reading) Program’ of Bishwo Shahitto Kendro since 2014 as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility. Under the initiative, this year a total of 33,600 books will be distributed among the students of different schools across the country, totalling over 300,000 books among four thousand schools that benefitted over 3.0 million readers in the last nine years.

It is mentionable that bKash has been involved in various activities to encourage book reading since its inception. Since 2018, bKash has been working with Bangla Academy as the main sponsor of the Amar Ekushey book fair. bKash is also supporting PROYASH, a special education institute in Jashore from 2019. Besides, bKash has been supporting Biggan Chinta Science Festival across the country since 2019. At the science festival, more than 20,000 young scientists have shown their innovative skills and intelligence by displaying over 600 projects