Jatiya Grantha Kendro on Monday held a programme to inaugurate the web-based directory software for private libraries who received grants from the ministry of cultural affairs.
Chaired by director of the National Book Centre Afsana Begum, cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki was present as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony at the auditorium of the centre at Gulistan in Dhaka.
Cultural affairs ministry assistant secretary Khalid Hossain, department of public libraries director Sanjeev Sutradhar and the Desk Manager for Africa and Bangladesh at Libraries Without Borders Leyre Gil Pedromingo spoke as special guests while deputy director of the centre, Md Farid Uddin Sarkar, delivered welcome speech at the event.
鈥楶eople want to use library space for reading books. If we supervise libraries regularly, organisers of the libraries will be inspired to run those actively,鈥� said Sanjeev Sutradhar.
By providing knowledge, a library helps to build a culture of peace, freedom and development, said Leyre Gil Pedromingo.
Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said that libraries were important for community building.
Mentioning that the libraries those are running in the country need more budget, he hopes, 鈥楾he next elected government will focus on allocating more budgets in the cultural sector.鈥�
Farooki also mentioned that the ministry would take a step to stop allocating budget for non-active libraries.
Afsana Begum focused on the reform of the book centre, saying, 鈥榃e want to stand with the libraries who work for building a reading society.鈥�
She also mentioned that libraries should buy books as readers鈥� demand not prescribed only by the government.
The officials of the centre said that the software would show the activities and update information of private libraries.
