Online Desk: Intending to celebrate this year’s International Mother Language Day, D’s Bistro, a unique cafe in the capital’s Uttara, in collaboration with JCI Dhaka Sparks, organized a Bangla book recitation event titled ‘Golper Provat’ with the hope of connecting readers and authors under one roof.

Supported by Cosmos Foundation, this is a month-long event to be held every Saturday morning and the inaugural session was arranged on February 10.

The inaugural session of this month-long weekly event featured three writers – mythology, history, and historical fiction author SM Niaz Mowla; poet Nizamul Huda – a teacher, traveller and avid thinker; and the writer of the first book about Artificial Intelligence in Bangla titled ‘ChatGPT and AI Millionaire’, published in this year Amar Ekushey Book Fair, Mehedi Hassan Rifat.

With the vibrant presence of enthusiastic readers and thinkers, including renowned actress and singer Shampa Reza, the last Saturday of this year’s winter was celebrated with engaging conversations on not only books but also many of society’s norms, beliefs, myths and more.

SM Niaz Mowla, a doctor, researcher and reputed fiction writer, read the preface of his latest book ‘Puraner Somantorale’ among the listeners. ‘Aadi theke Ownto’ is the name of his prominent mythology series, and Niaz is also the creator and founder of Pencil Foundation, a popular Facebook-based platform for young authors, poets, singers, photographers, reciters and artists.

After Niaz, poet Nizamul Huda Khan spoke about his observations – not only as a teacher but also as an avid reader, traveller and explorer, on the paradigm shift of reading habits in society. He recited two of his poems, and Mehedi Hassan Rifat then discussed his journey as the writer of the first book about AI in Bangla, ‘ChatGPT and AI Millionaire’.

“This has been an amazing experience altogether,” actress Shampa Reza said, lauding the initiative. “For me, books and children are the best companions – and I believe that society needs more engaging conversational sessions on books like this, to spark the reading habits of both old and new readers.”

Throughout February, the coveted month of International Mother Language Day and Amar Ekushey Book Fair, the organisers at D’s Bistro intend to discover new authors and genres and motivate youngsters to develop their writing skills.

The Co-Founder and CEO of D’s Bistro, Sabnin Sababa told UNB that she wants to ensure their space is positively used to enlighten the literature community.

D’s Bistro further intends to foster the love of reading for the young generation, stimulate some intellectual discussions, and build a sense of community. Sababa also told UNB that she plans to form a ‘Book Club’ which will be aimed to become a successful platform to connect and promote readers and writers of different languages and genres.

JCI Bangladesh is the national organization and is one of the active and result-driven youth national organizations in South Asia.

The engaging conversations will be continued in February with two more sessions, on February 17 and February 24.

Open for all, the sessions will be held at D’ Bistro in Sector 12, Uttara.