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Panihar Public Library is a public library established through individual initiative in Panihar, a remote village of Rajshahi's Godagari Upazila in Bangladesh. It was founded in 1945 by philanthropist Enatullah Master. The library currently holds more than 7 thousand books.
 One of the rooms of the library | |
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| Formation | 1945 |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Public Library |
| Location |
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Region served | Bangladesh |
Official language | Bengali |
Parent organization | Department of Public Libraries |
Early life
editEnayetullah's father was a farmer who had a thirst for learning. He sent his son to Nawab Bahadur Institute in Murshidabad in 1318 Bengali year (c. 1911 CE), He was a member of the Nawab Bahadur High School Library. As a regular reader there, he developed a deep attachment to books, which inspired him to plan a library in his own village.[1]
Career
editAfter returning to his hometown, he established a school in the village of Aihai, where he used to bring books from Kolkata. With the intention of founding a library, he gradually started collecting non-textbooks. By 1945, he had acquired a modest collection and established a library in a mud house, with support from local villagers.[2]
Around the same time, his classmate Sagaram Majhi was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the area and assisted Enatullah in developing the library. In 1958, the institution received official recognition as the Panihar Public Library.[1]
Collection
editThe library holds more than 7 thousand books. However, due to a lack of proper preservation, more than 7,500 books have been damaged.[1][3]
References
edit- ^ a b c Mahfuz, Emran (2022-11-10). "Panihar Public Library: A heritage in ruins". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 2025-08-26. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
- ^ "Panihar Library gets new building". Daily Observer. Archived from the original on 2025-08-26. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
- ^ "'Panihar Library', a tale of 70 years". The Asian Age Online. 2016-06-14. Retrieved 2025-08-26.