" সাহিত্য জগতে অজানাকে জানার জন্য সবাইকে সাদর আমন্ত্রন " They must be welded into a cohesive force aimed at causing a national upsurge. Asaduzzaman, Mr.
The Bishwo Shahitto Kendro (World Literature Centre), popularly known as Kendro, was established in 1978 as a social movement to build an informed, enriched and committed generation of future citizens. Bishwo Shahitto Kendro (BSK) believes that the country needs men and women—who are dreamers and visionaries, who adhere to high moral values, are enlightened, aware and effective; men and women who
can give meaningful leadership in taking the country on the path of progress and prosperity. And it is not only individuals by themselves, however big their count; they must come together and act in unison. The principal objective of the Bishwo Shahitto Kendro is to create throughout the country a congenial environment for fostering enlightened individuals, organizing them into a national force and, to catalyze enlightenment in the collective persona of the citizens of Bangladesh. Today, the Kendro has come to a solid stage in the process of its social engineering job by extensively working throughout the country, preparing hundreds of thousands of young people as informed, enlightened, ideologically motivated and competent but visionary individuals as an organized force to achieve its vision and mission. The organization was formally inaugurated on 6 March 1980, Located at 14 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Dhaka. It is a registered public welfare trust, with a nine-member trustee board headed by Abdullah Abu Sayeed. The other trustees are Mohammad Fariduddin, AKM Rafiquddin, Lutfar Rahman Sarkar and Mahbub Jamil, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Khondaker M. M Shah Alam Sarwar, Mohamed Mijarul Quayes. With the support of a host of development partners BSK has been implementing a number of programs to achieve the objectives. The major program of Kendro include:
1. Nationwide Enrichment (book reading and cultural) Program,
2. Nationwide Mobile library Program
3. Study Circle Program
4. Cultural Enrichment Program
5. Publication Program
6. Thoughtful Writings of Bengali Language: Collection and Publication Program
7. Central Library
There are some organizations in the country which are working on library program, some working on cultural activities and very few on developing reading habits. Kendro is the only and unparallel organization in the country that promotes enrichment program through a holistic approach combining library, book reading and cultural activities together since its inception. The organization considers and appreciates ‘book reading’ as a movement. The success of the Kendro, can not be measured in tangible terms. The civic change which Kendro dreams of, cannot be figured out in its annual progress report like a service-providing organization. Nevertheless, the Kendro sees some significant achievements in bringing hundreds of thousands of the students and other people together to learn and practice the higher values of life and society. As recognition of the Kendro’s contribution to promote reading habits among students and the general public, the Kendro was awarded UNESCO's most prestigious education award, the Jan Amos Comenius Medal for the year 2008, for its outstanding achievement and innovations in the field of education.
