And this adage holds for Atikur Rahman, the founder and the chief executive officer of The Reading Café, which has gone on to become a cherished sanctuary for Dhaka’s book lovers. In 2014, not too long after finishing his studies, Rahman started The Reading Café, a place where bibliophiles can pick up 40,000-50,000 titles, sit down with a cup of coffee and snacks and get lost in the words and pages. But the pandemic was not without challenges for The Reading Café, whose entire selling point is rooted in the physical experience. “We reached out to our loyal customers through the online platforms, Facebook and our website, when the lockdown started. The countrywide shutdown to flatten the curve of coronavirus, which lingers on surfaces for hours, was lifted on May 30 after two-and-a-half months, The Reading Café did not re-open its doors to customers straight away.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 07, 2021 18:45 UTC