Published: 12:22 AM, 18 August 2026
Reading can help combat drug addiction: Nitai Roy
Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury has said that developing a habit of reading books can play a pivotal role in fostering free thinking, humanity, patriotism and communal harmony, while also helping people overcome drug addiction.
He made the remarks on Monday while addressing a workshop titled "Knowledge and Skill Development of Government Public Librarians" at the National Book Centre in the capital. The minister stressed the importance of building a knowledge-based society by encouraging reading habits and keeping people, particularly the younger generation, away from drugs.
He also directed the National Library Authority to take steps to bring more private libraries under registration alongside government-run libraries. The workshop was chaired by National Book Centre Director Afsana Begum.
Professor Dr Muhammad Mejbah-ul Islam of the Department of Information Science and Library Management at the University of Dhaka also spoke at the programme as a special guest.
