Of books and the reading habit

The word 'publication' means the act of publishing and also indicates printed copies of any newspaper, magazine, journal etc. There are varieties of publication materials in the forms of books, bulletins, booklets, leaflets, newsletters, pamphlet etc. A book is a set of sheets of paper or similar materials that are fastened together to hinge on one side. A single sheet within a book is a leaf and each side of a leaf is a page. An electronic book (E-book) is a book available in the digital form, consisting of texts, images or both readable on a flat panel display of a computer or any other electronic device.
In 1963 Doug Engelbert started the online system. Now smart phones and tablets are the most popular way for e-readers to read an e-book. The book publication industry is involved with it. Like another country in the world Bangladeshi publishers publish poetry, story books, novels, essays, science fictions each year. Besides, textbooks are also published. Every year on the occasion of Mother Language Day on February 21 the bangle Academy organises a book fair. The book fair in 2017 fetched Tk 650 million (65 crore) in proceeds from sales. Of course, it is a matter of pleasure. Yet the joy and sorrow of writers and publishers remain unnoticed.
Young writers go to publishers and request for publication of their books. In the absence of any proper evaluation they fail to get attention of the publishers. For this reason they face problems and they find no way out. We hold those, who have publications in national dailies, periodicals and journals, in high esteem. Resultantly many young writers go for publication of their books on their own. Publishers often say printing materials like paper, ink, type case, galley, rule brush, block are becoming costlier day by day. Because of this the publication industry is suffering. Before publication of any book the writer and the publisher sign an agreement. Publishers often say there is no sale of the book. For this reason they are unable to pay the writer the due amount of royalty. That creates a distance between the writer and the publisher. The readers prefer good pages, good  print and good covers. So the publisher publishes few copies of the book and their profit is not that good. And as the profit is not good, they are not able to publish quality books. If some publishers come ahead to publish quality books, they stop midway and after a certain time they go back. It is a matter of sorrow for a country like Bangladesh.
Different sections of intellectuals evaluate books in different ways. They say knowledge is power. This power is not general power. It is supreme power. This knowledge has enabled man to change the earthly life. Man can swim like fishes and can fly like birds today. The invention of spacecraft and sky station is now a simple matter. Man has entered into an atomic era. Science has given us speed. But our conscience and peace are lost. When the human society is full of blood-thirsty animals, there can be no peace. The world is burning, there is no peace. Man has been conquered by mechanism, materialism and consumerism.
Only truth can relieve us of any bad effect. Taking the path of truth can help establish peace. Media can contribute to it in a better way.
 World famous writer Calvin Calis says: "If we want to produce good citizens in a country, then there is only one way that is good writing and publication of creative and intellectual books."  Man can travel over present, past and future by reading books. There is no alternative way of broadening the mental faculty without reading books. Books are like a cascade of flowing water. But it cannot be seen, it can be realised. To know life, to realise life and to understand life we have to enter into the world of books. Famous writer Benjamin Disraeli says: "A book may be as great a thing as a battle". Elbert Hubbard says: "There will never be a civilised country until we spend more money for books than we do for chewing gums." We have to achieve the mentality of reading, buying and gifting books.
The government has to realise that the progress of a nation will not be possible without reading and publishing good books. In this area the Bangla Academy and the Bishwasahitya Kendra are making their marks. But that is not enough. The government should come to the rescue of the publication industry with proper planning.
We have to translate foreign books into Bangla and our books into other languages like English. We need to emphasise translations. To have good citizens there is no alternative to cultivating the habit of reading good books. Writers, publishers and readers have their respective roles to play to that end.

The writer is a Lecturer of Philosophy at the Ispahani University College,
Keraniganj, Dhaka.