‘Dream big and read more’

Mountaineer Nishat Majumder, the first Bangladeshi woman to conquer Mount Everest, yesterday urged students to read more books to become better human being.

"To become a truly good human being, there is no alternative to reading more books," she said while addressing an award ceremony for school students under the reading programme organised by Bishwo Shahitto Kendro at Bangla Academy.

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Nishat shared how reading and determination shaped her life.

"Climbing Everest was my dream, and I achieved it. You, too, must hold on to your dreams and keep moving steadily towards your goals," Nishat said.

Speaking at the event, Bishwo Shahitto Kendro trustee Iftekharul Islam said, "Books have the power to transform young minds. You can clearly see the difference between those who read and those who don't."

The essence of a good book lingers in a reader's heart for years, Iftekharul told students.

"Back in 1978, Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed founded this institution with just 10 copies of poet Jasimuddin's 'Nakshi Kanthar Math', purchased for Tk 35. Today, his dream has engaged millions across the country in instilling the habit of reading among them," he also said.

During his speech, actor, writer, and translator Khairul Alam Sabuj said, "Real dreams aren't the ones you see in your sleep -- they're the ones you pursue with your eyes wide open."

He said, "The stronger your connection with books, the more you'll uncover your true self. And as you grow, so will the nation."

The Bishwo Shahitto Kendro's book reading programme, supported by Grameenphone, involved over 20,000 students from 65 schools in the capital.

Of them, more than 5,000 students received awards in eight separate sessions on Friday and Saturday.

In total, around 2.5 lakh students from 1,400 educational institutions nationwide are currently enrolled in the book reading programme.