A book exchange event was held at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital Dhaka on Saturday.
Booklovers also recited poems and spoke about their favourite books at the event organised by Megher Dhakka, a cultural organisation.
The third edition of the event titled 鈥楶olan Sarkar Smarane Boi Binimay Utsab鈥�, remembering the late Polan Sarkar, who started a social movement of distributing books for free and received the Ekushey Padak for social service in 2011.
Fizzul Islam, an organiser of Alor Bhuvan Pathagar, situated at Nandail upazila in Mymensingh district, distributed 50 books among the booklovers.
鈥極ur library works to promote community building through book reading and encourage mostly children,鈥� Fizzul Islam said, adding that the event inspired the booklovers and library organisers.
Emdadul Haque Kokhon from Mirpur came to attend the event and distributed books among the children, including some street children.
Kokhon said that in the era of digitalisation, printed books would help to build community and exchange ideas, learning and growing unity.
He also urged the government to take action on the improvement of community based libraries in every village and area.
Md Hedayet Ullah, deputy registrar of Central Library of Jagannath University, said that after reading a book, he exchanged the book with others which helped to build friendship and also cut expenses for new books.聽聽
鈥楽ome books are used as reference, otherwise we can exchange them with other friends and also sharing books creates friendship with many booklovers,鈥� said Hedayet Ullah.
Megher Dhakka director Jahir Raihan said that they hoped that the book exchange festival would be held in every village, which would increase friendship, tolerance and eliminate violence.
Megher Dhakka has been organising this event since 2023 at the Central Shaheed Minar.