The school courtyard buzzed with youthful enthusiasm on Monday morning as hundreds of students swarmed a vibrant book fair organized by Prothoma at Leaders School and College in Chattogram's Baluchara area. Capitalizing on the morning tiffin recess, children bypassed the canteen entirely to throng the book stalls, eagerly thumbing through colorful pages of comics, adolescent fiction, and mystery novels. The bustling fairgrounds reflected an overwhelming enthusiasm for reading, with students meticulously weighing their options, counting their pocket money, and consulting peers before making their final literary purchases.
Fourth-grader Maisa epitomized the eager young readership, purchasing Rokib Hasan's thriller Hatkata Bhut after carefully examining it with a classmate. Holding the neatly packaged book, she shared that the author is her favorite and that the spine-chilling plot revolves around a mysterious piano teacher whose music school students vanish without a trace. Meanwhile, fifth-graders Sadid and Abir gravitated toward analytical reads, meticulously discussing mathematical problem-solving guides before ultimately purchasing two copies of the current issue of Bigganchinta, demonstrating a diverse appetite spanning both recreational fiction and STEM literature.
As the junior recess concluded and classes resumed, the fairgrounds experienced a second wave of excitement during the senior students' break. Secondary-level students swarmed the stalls in search of contemporary novels, thrillers, and releases by their favorite authors. By the time lower secondary classes let out, anxious guardians had also joined the fray, guiding their children's selections and encouraging a habit of reading. Guardian Tanjiba Hasan, who arrived to pick up her daughter, remarked that browsing the stalls prompted her to pick up a few titles by Bishwajit Chowdhury for both herself and her child, highlighting how the fair successfully engaged readers of all ages.
School authorities noted that the collaborative initiative with Prothoma was designed to cultivate a vibrant reading culture beyond conventional textbooks, introducing students to expansive genres including science, literature, and mystery. Emphasizing the profound impact of literature, Leaders School and College Principal Colonel (Retd) Abu Naser Md Toha underscored that books serve as foundational tools for imparting moral clarity, bridging the past with future aspirations, and driving civilizational progress. He reiterated that the institution prioritizes cultivating well-rounded individuals grounded in knowledge, ethics, and skill, while commending the book fair initiative and urging the continuation of such endeavors in the future.
