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.
Early life Enayetullah'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.
Career After 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.
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.
Collection The library holds more than 7 thousand books. However, due to a lack of proper preservation, more than 7,500 books have been damaged.
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