Like other countries around the globe, Bangladesh observed the International Literacy Day-2023 on Friday in a befitting manner through different activities across all the districts and upazilas.
This year's theme of the day was “Promoting Literacy for a World in Transition: Building the Foundation for Sustainable and Peaceful Societies”.
The inauguration ceremony of the day took place at the capital’s Bureau of Non-Formal Education in the Tejgaon industrial area, reads a press release.
A meeting was also held with Primary and Mass Education Ministry Secretary Farid Ahmed in the chair.
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain was present as the chief guest.
Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Additional Secretary (Administration) Noorjahan Khatun delivered the welcome speech.
Bangladesh National Commission for Unesco (BNCU) Deputy Secretary General Shohel Imam Khan read out the written statement from Unesco.
Activities for this year's International Literacy Day included an inaugural event, discussions, newspaper publications, press conferences, postal releases, and distributions, as well as talk shows on print and electronic media.
Additionally, deputy commissioners conducted discussion meetings in compliance with health guidelines in every district.
Under the dynamic leadership of the Bureau of Non-Formal Education, efforts are underway to transform the underprivileged illiterate population into skilled human resources, reads the press release.
The promotion of education and literacy plays a crucial role in achieving the vision of a prosperous and advanced Smart Bangladesh by 2041, it said.
Various projects and programs on mass education, literacy, and non-formal education are being implemented in independent Bangladesh. As a result, the country's literacy rate has been progressively increasing, currently standing at 76.8% for those aged 7 and above, it added.
Following the government's 2018 election manifesto, the Bureau of Non-Formal Education is working under the Fourth Primary Education Development Program (PEDP-4) to bring 1 million out-of-school children aged eight to 14 back into mainstream education.
The state minister and the respected secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education are leading and guiding efforts to achieve the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030 through various programs the Bureau of Non-Formal Education undertakes, the press release said.
Through these efforts, the nation strives to realize the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s vision of hunger, illiteracy, and poverty-free "Sonar Bangla" while also aiming to transform Bangladesh into a developed, prosperous, and smart nation by 2041, the press release added.
September 8 was proclaimed as International Literacy Day by the Unesco in 1966 to remind the international community of the importance of literacy for individuals, communities and societies, and the need for intensified efforts towards more literate societies.
The issue of literacy is a key component of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the day on Thursday wishing all programs of the day a success.