Despite several government initiatives, the target for total literacy in the country still remains a far cry, with the number of illiterate people pegged at nearly 40 per cent.Quoting from a survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), primary and mass education minister Mostafizur Rahman Fizar yesterday said the literacy rate in the country was close to 61 per cent. The minister also said the illiteracy rate has dropped by four per cent, compared to last year. According to the BBS survey of 2013, the illiteracy rate among those between five and nine years was 16.43 per cent, 67.38 per cent in the 10 to 14 years age bracket, 82.17 per cent for those 15 to 19 years old, and 75.09 per cent in the 20 to 24 years bracket. The literacy rate…

Bangladesh and the US are going to have a series of engagements this month that are expected to boost…