In a wide-ranging interview, writer Sabidin Ibrahim shared eight clear lessons about life, learning and public purpose, and his story opens with a strong hook: he turned early hardship into a steady habit of thinking for himself. Growing up in Cumilla and later studying at Dhaka University shaped his curiosity and offered many chances to read and debate, but the key turning point was personal loss and a habit of self-reliance that pushed him to find answers without waiting for permission. He says losing a steady fatherly figure forced him to solve problems on his own and helped him become an independent thinker. Ibrahim traces how learning to read changed everything for him; once he could read well he moved from a backbench pupil to top of his class, and books opened doors to new ideas and chances.) He remembers the 1990s as a hopeful time when wider access to schooling and social supports made growth feel possible for many families, yet he worries that the path from education to secure work has become less certain in recent decades. Much of his concern rests on what he calls institutional failure: when schools, hospitals and public systems do not work well, it is harder for people to thrive, and he urges steady work to build fair systems that give reliable chances. One bright theme in the talk is mentorship: he finds deep joy in helping young people grow, comparing it to a gardener who watches raw seeds become flowers and saying that guiding juniors is a lasting reward. Ibrahim also shares a simple, practical rule for reading: spend two minutes with a book to see if it interests you, give it twenty minutes if it does, and then decide whether it deserves many more hours; this approach helps readers pick useful books without wasting time. He says reading many ordinary or poor books helped him learn what is valuable, and he tells readers not to feel bound to finish every book they start. His overall message mixes realism and hope: steady habits of reading, teaching and careful thinking can give people tools to improve their lives even when systems lag. The conversation blends memory, clear advice and small tools anyone can try: better teacher training, community reading groups and mentorship can make learning feel more useful, and clearer career paths can help young people see practical rewards from study. He believes patient, local actions and public investment can add up: small labs, teacher workshops and neighborhood reading clubs can make a big difference over time. Mentorship and practical learning not only help students but can also create work for tutors, trainers and local guides, spreading benefit through families.
