‘Our focus should be developing a child friendly environment in every library’

The British Council has organised a workshop titled "Policy Workshop on the Formulation of a National Policy for Public Libraries" at the Westin Hotel in Dhaka to review the draft policy for public libraries and collect recommendations from relevant stakeholders. 

Dr Roknuzzaman, Professor of Department of Information Science and Library Management, University of Dhaka, presented the draft policy during the event while Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Dr Md Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal attended the event as chief guest. 

Over 100 participants attended the workshop, which was held on December 11 

During his keynote speech Dr Md Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal said, "We need to regenerate the reading habit among the new generation. Our focus should be developing a child friendly environment in every library."

British Council's Country Director (Bangladesh), Tom Miscioscia said, "To survive in the digital age and stay relevant, public libraries need to be brave and innovative. They must embrace both the physical and virtual. Libraries must offer more than just books."

"Stakeholders consultation has been phenomenal while preparing this well structured draft policy. The new policy accommodates the idea of transforming public libraries into a mode achieving Sustainable Development of Goal of Bangladesh,"  said Ministry of Cultural Affairs Additional Secretary Md Abdul Mannan Ilias

The first national policy workshop on the development of a policy for public libraries  was held on 28 April 2019. This day-long national-level policy workshop was part of this ongoing process for the formulation of a national policy for Bangladesh's  public libraries.