National Book Day: Rescuing abandoned reading habits

The second ‘National Book Day’ will be celebrated at the National Book Foundation premises today at 10am. The newly appointed Federal Law Minister, Senator Maula Bux Chandio will inaugurate a grand book fair on the occasion, as chief guest.

National Book Day was first celebrated last year amid much applause from educationists, writers and public representatives, according to a press release issued by the foundation on Thursday.

NBF Managing Director Mazharul Islam who has initiated the plan and other unique projects to promote book culture, said the foundation has planned a number of events to popularise reading habits in the country, which are rapidly losing favour to the increasing use of electronic media.

The celebrations include holding a grand book fair and a number of book reading sessions for children as well as general readers. Both children and adults would participate in the reading sessions.

The country’s known publishers will hold stalls and offer books to visitors on discounted rates at the fair. According to Islam, every book buyer will also be presented with a flower as a “reminder to befriend books.”

Prominent writers, poets, broadcasters, intellectuals and showbiz personalities will read stories and recite poems for the audience on the occasion. Entry to the fair and participation in the reading sessions is free.

Some other notable and unique projects by the foundation include reading initiatives in the form of book clubs for prison inmates, bus travelers and rural people.

However, the high cost of books, unlike in neighbouring countries, is the greatest hurdle faced by the common reader.



Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2011.