Reading newspapers: A rewarding habit

NEWSPAPERS and periodicals are gradually disappearing and going into oblivion. Many reputed newspapers around the world have already stopped their publication due to lack of readership. World famous Time magazine, for example, went out of publication a couple of years ago. It appears more newspapers and magazines are likely to go out of publication soon. Situation is even worse in case of books and periodicals. Publication of fiction and poetry are diminishing and literary works are not coming out in print as they used to be a couple of decades ago. Particularly the young generation are increasingly turning away from printed books and magazines. Even for academic purposes, they prefer to rely on the internet more than printed text and reference books. I sincerely feel that our present generation is not taking the right path by avoiding printed materials not only for information but also for academic purposes. For example, most youngsters at present are more interested in surfing the Facebook and other social media than reading newspapers and periodicals in printed form. As a result, they do not know what is going on around them in the country and elsewhere in the world. Benefits of newspapers are manifold and therefore they should not be avoided. Apart from publishing news around the world, the newspapers carry articles on all aspects of human life including socio-economic-political analysis of events around us. Newspapers have been playing an important role in educating the general public and moulding public opinion ever since they came into existence. Now newspapers have become an integral part of our life that can not be forsaken.

Saiful Islam

Baridhara DOHS

Dhaka