Ferrying knowledge and hope

While most people are preoccupied with themselves, at the same time some are born into society for the betterment of the others. They work for social liberation in his own light. This is the motto of some people for the rest of their lives.

Jamal Hossain of ​​Sarpukur union at Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat is such a person who stands out.

As lesser number of readers are frequenting his library due to the coronavirus situation, Jamal Hossain, the founder president of Sarpukur Youth Forum Library, is going to readers' doorsteps with bagful of books.

Readers are getting their favourite books calling Jamal on his mobile phone.

Abu Jahed, a college student from Sarpukur area, said he was not going to the library to read books because of the Corona situation.

But the exchange of his books has not stopped.

"After I finish reading a book, I call Jamal bhai and he almost instantly comes with a new book to my house," he said.

"I get a chance to enlighten myself by reading books regularly, thanks to Jamal bhai," he added.

Sarpukur Youth Forum Library was established in 2014. At present the library has a collection of six thousand books. The number of registered members of the library is 1500.

Apart from going to door to door with books, Jamal also provides books to different saloons where clients can make the best use of their waiting time reading books.

There are such 30 saloons where he provides books from the library. Twenty more have been listed as well.

The concept of reaching out to saloons with books is being followed in different parts of the country.

Jamal Hossain, 21, a Bengali honours student at Kabi Nazrul Islam Government College, started collecting books from his school life.

 "When I get a phone call, I go to the reader's house without delay and deliver the book," he said.

"Our library has all kinds of books including agriculture, science, literature, history, religion, research, stories and poems," he also said.

'Books enlighten people. I want books to be people's constant companion. So, I want to keep myself involved in the book-reading movement for the rest of my life," he said.

However, the library building is in a dilapidated condition and the readers are worried that it would not withstand the bad weather.