bKash-Prothom Alo Trust calls for book donation for underprivileged children

Visiting the Ekushey Book Fair for the first time, Afsana, Sumaiya, Anaw, Anisa and Palash, students from MASTUL Foundation School and Orphanage, were very delighted. Their cheerfulness doubled as they received story books from bKash and Prothom Alo Trust.

In continuation to the last four book fairs, bKash, the country’s largest mobile financial services (MFS) provider, is collecting books from the visitors, writers and publishers at the book fair this year also.

Besides, those who are living outside Dhaka can donate books going to nearest bKash’s Customer Care Centres across the country. Besides, people can also make donation from bKash app to Prothom Alo Trust for buying books.

The books given by donors at the fair along with the books given by bKash will be distributed to the libraries for underprivileged children and other institutions through Prothom Alo Trust.

As a part of the initiative, this Tuesday, some books were handed over to the ten underprivileged children from MASTUL Foundation’s School and Orphanage by the Prothom Alo managing editor and eminent writer Anisul Haque along with bKash’s chief marketing officer (CMO) Mir Nawbut Ali.

Handing over the books to the children, Anisul Haque said, “bKash has taken a very innovative and creative initiative to donate books among the underprivileged students. We have been observing that people coming to the book fair isn’t only buying books, many of them are donating books too.

“We are hoping that we would be able to collect at least 100,000 (one lakh) books this year. We are also requesting people to donate quality books suited for children and adolescents, which would be delivered to them by Prothom Alo Trust,” he added.

bKash CMO Mir Nawbut Ali said, “bKash has been conducting book collection and distribution initiative since 2020 and the extent of the activity has been increasing since then. bKash will add books of its own with the donated ones and will distribute those to underprivileged children across the country through Prothom Alo Trust.

“We are requesting all to donate more books so that we can give books to the underprivileged children living even in the remotest parts of the country,” he added.

bKash has distributed 147,000 (1.47 lakh) books through this initiative in the last four years on the occasion of the book fair. To make this year’s book distribution programme successful, bKash has set up seven booths in the fair premises.

Those interested can come to the booths and give all kinds of new and old books there. Besides, those who are living outside Dhaka, can donate books to nearest bKash Customer Care Centre.

Besides, clicking the “Donate for Books” option from the “Donation” icon of the bKash App, customers can directly donate to Prothom Alo Trust for buying books for underprivileged children. At the same time, donation can be made at the following link-- https://donation.bkash.com/dbtpal/donate.