While there are a few thousand schools, colleges, universities and restaurants in Dhaka, there aren’t enough playing fields or libraries for children.
However, Bangladesh Shishu Academy is coming forward to fill that gap. The Sheikh Russell Children’s Library is ready where children will be able to read, learn and spend time as per their wish.
The library is on the first floor of the academy and has 25/30 racks of books with English and Bangla sections. There is another corner called ‘Shei Boi’ where children can read online. 
All the books in the library are available online. There is also a corner for visually challenged. To familiarize the children with Bangabandhu, there is a corner called ‘Bangabandhu corner’.
There are also large photos of Bangabandhu; a section called audio visual features modern multimedia items.
Based on the demands of the children, specific discussions will be carried out and the library currently has 37486 books with 5126 members. The registration fee is Tk. 100 and 200 children can sit here. Members can take a book home for 15 days. 
The library will remain open seven days a week from 10 am till 5 pm; the library was established in 1976 when the Shishu Academy was launched but until 2013, it was running in the old fashion. In the 2014-15 fiscal year, work to modernize the academy began which ended in 2018.
Answering to a question as to why the library is not popular and widely known to the residents of the city, head of the library Rezina Akhter, says, “Children cannot come on their own and need to be accompanied by parents and our library is in such location that often the distance becomes a factor. Therefore, children from different parts of the city feel discouraged to come.”
However, we are trying to publicise the library, she added, saying, “On the weekends, we get plenty of children. If schools support us and teachers bring children on a regular basis then this will serve as study tour and also provide entertainment for children.”
“As part of Mujib year, from February next till January 2021, there will be reading circles on books on Bangabandhu.”
PHOTO: Sazzad Hossain
