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‘Illiteracy is a curse’ goes the old saying. It destroys the creativity of a man and hampers free-thinking. So, illiteracy at a greater scale impedes national development.

Illiteracy is a great problem in Bangladesh. It is taking a serious turn day by day. The literacy rate among the poor is very low. It gives rise to many other problems in our social and national life. As a result, superstition, population explosion, poverty, malnutrition, unemployment, and terrorism are also rising at an alarming rate.

The causes of illiteracy are so many. Poverty is considered to be the root cause. Majority of our people live below the poverty line. To them sending their children to schools is a mere luxury. Rather, they are more interested in sending them to earning jobs. Though some guardians try to provide a little education for their children, a large number of those children leave the schools before the can complete primary education.

Lack of social awareness is another cause of illiteracy. Many people do not feel the consequences of being illiterate. They believe in superstition and only blame their fate. A few of them do realize there mistake but only when it is too late. Besides, gender discrimination is also responsible for illiteracy among women.

It is really hopeful that our government has taken some steps to free the nation from the curse of illiteracy. Primary education had been made free and compulsory for all. Apart from this, stipend for girl students at the HSC level, food for education, supply of free-loading materials, etc. are some of the major initiatives taken by the government. Not only the government but also various non-government and welfare organizations and above all, the educated and conscious people come forward with never strategies to remove illiteracy.