Atif Asad, 21, is the founder of 10 libraries in different villages in his hometown of Jamalpur.
A lack of capital did not stop the youth from Sarishabari Upazila from disseminating the light of reading to the remote areas.
The libraries have been named “Milon Sriti Pathagar,” after his late brother. Among the 10 branches, three are in railway stations, giving the waiting passengers a chance to soak up some knowledge while waiting for a train.
Among the remaining seven, the ones in Hashara, Majalia, Nikhai, Harkhali and Ramanandapur villages are operating while two more in Rampur and Dolbhiti are awaiting inauguration.
The youngest of seven siblings, Asad grew up seeing his fair share of struggles. From a young age, he helped his mother with sewing and worked on the paddy field as well as a labourer.
Looking back at his struggles, Asad said: “I was not able to go to school properly. Couldn’t buy books or guidebooks or afford a private tutor.”
Around 10 libraries under the umbrella of Milon Sriti Pathagar has been operating in different villages of Jamalpur with the aim to make reading accessible Dhaka Tribune“It made me think that there are many like me and I wanted to do something that would let me spread knowledge free of cost,” he added.
Asad is currently a first-year honors student at the Botany Department of Jamalpur Government Asheque Mahmud College.
“How many people can afford to buy books when they must struggle to pay for their studies?” he told the Dhaka Tribune correspondent.
He said that he had taken the initiative to make reading accessible to people in the remote areas.
“Students here do not have the opportunity to read anything outside of textbooks. They have no clue about the poetry, fiction, history, heritage and cultural books out there,” he added.
“Moreover, the young are currently engaging in many illegal activities, including drugs. Which is why I decided to undertake the initiative to let people read for free.”
How it all started
In 2018, Asad, along with his older brother Milon started the library at his home with 20 books.
“We did not have the money to rent a place. But since spreading the light of knowledge was my goal, infrastructure could not be an obstacle,” he said.
“We opened the library with 20 books on my balcony. To preserve the books, I made a bookshelf out of some abandoned wood after consulting with my father,” he added.
However, tragedy struck the family when in the same year as the launch of the library, Asad’s older brother Milon was killed on February 21 by unidentified people.
“The libraries have been named Milon Sriti Pathagar after my brother,” he said.
Around 10 libraries under the umbrella of Milon Sriti Pathagar has been operating in different villages of Jamalpur with the aim to make reading accessible Dhaka TribuneCollecting books
Stocking the library was not an easy task for the young Asad, but he did not give up.
“First I asked around for books to collect and tried to provide readers with new books,” he said.
He added that when news of his initiative spread, Gaston Batteries Limited Executive Director KH Malek donated 100 books for the library. The Bangladesh envoy to Vietnam Samina Naz also made donations to help him purchase books.
His small library, which has branched out into 10, is now home to over 2,000 books, providing the comfort only a good book can bring to readers.
A challenging concept
For Asad, one of the biggest challenges was making people understand the concept of a library.
“At first people in the remote areas did not understand the concept of a library. Many used to mock me because there was no space to keep the books,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
“Some also thought that books are sold here,” he said.
However, he carried on, and with time the number of readers increased.
Now Asad cycles 10-15 kilometres to lend books to people who ask for them over the phone.
He also has to go around 10 kilometres to pick up the books that arrive for the library at the sadar upazila.
Station libraries
In 2020, Asad opened “Ishtishon Library (Station Library)” under the umbrella of Milon Sriti Pathagar.
On November 21, the station libraries started their journey at Sharishabari Railway Station. Eventually two more were set up at Tarakandi Railway Station and Bir Muktijoddha Advocate Motiar Rahman Talukdar Railway Station.
He also opened another library beside his home.
Asad dreams that one day he will be able to set up 100 railway station libraries, and keep providing people the opportunity to lose themselves in the magical world of books.