When I was growing up, going to the Ekushey Boi Mela felt like a full-day festival. It was not only a book fair; it was an event the whole family looked forward to. I remember clutching my parents' hands as we walked past colourful stalls, the smell of fresh paper mixing with the excitement of discovering new characters, worlds and stories. Those were the days when a new book could make my entire week.
I still remember the joy of receiving books as presents. On birthdays or after final exams, whenever a relative gifted me a storybook, I felt as though they had given me a treasure chest. I would run my fingers over the glossy covers, stack them carefully on my bedside table and begin reading the moment the guests left. Books were not just "things"-they were companions, teachers, friends, and windows into the big wide world.
But over the years, as I look around at children growing up today, the landscape has changed dramatically. Instead of being excited about purchasing new storybooks, children are rushing to their phones. Instead of asking for storybooks, they ask for devices. Free time is spent on online games, YouTube Shorts, and, more recently, making Facebook reels. The excitement of opening a new book has been replaced by the dopamine hit of notifications and algorithm-fed entertainment.
It's not always the children's fault. Parents themselves read far less than they did in the 1980s and 1990s. Back then, a large portion of educated households engaged regularly in reading-newspapers, magazines, novels, and poetry collections. Today, that habit has shrunk sharply, replaced by smartphones that dominate our mornings, mealtimes, and nights. Children simply mirror what they see.
If we want our children to fall in love with reading again, we must lead the way. We need to bring books back into the home. Make fun and interesting storybooks available for children on tables, shelves, and bedsides. Let our children see that we are turning pages ourselves instead of scrolling. Books raised a generation with imagination, empathy, and curiosity. If we revive that culture, books can raise the next one too.
Aishi Dastidar
aadastidar08@gmail.com
