'Batighar' becomes a beacon of knowledge

At a time when smartphones and social media are steadily replacing books, a small village in Tangail is offering a different story. A community library founded by a police officer has become a hub for reading and learning, inspiring children and adults alike to rediscover the joy of books.

The library, named Batighar (Lighthouse), is located in Chourakarra village under Magra Union of Tangail Sadar Upazila. It was established by Kamruzzaman Shohag, a Sub-Inspector (SI) of Bangladesh Police, whose dream of building a reading culture in his native village has gradually turned into reality.

Shohag, currently serving at the Police Headquarters, developed a passion for reading during his childhood. However, he noticed that children in his village had little access to books outside their school curriculum. Determined to change that, he envisioned a community library that would encourage reading and lifelong learning.


The initiative was initially met with skepticism, even from his own family, who regarded it as an impractical passion project. Over time, however, as local students began visiting the library regularly, the family became one of its strongest supporters and dedicated a room in their home for its operation.

Today, Batighar houses more than 800 books and has 101 registered members, ranging from schoolchildren to elderly readers. The library also offers a home-delivery service for books to members who are unable to visit in person, making reading more accessible within the community.