Books, coffee and serenity: The rise of Dhaka's book cafes
As Dhaka transforms into a more fast-paced concrete jungle, people seek a comfortable, welcoming space. This perhaps explains the spread of the relatively new concept of ‘book cafes’ across the capital
Dhaka University student Aniqa Tabassum frequents book cafes to spend some time by herself.
"Sometimes, you get tired of sitting at home or in the hostel all day and don't feel like mingling with people or going to a fancy restaurant. Book cafes provide a great opportunity to spend some quality time with yourself and a book as your only companion," she said.
We recently found a group of four friends at Riddhi Book Cafe at Mirpur-11 who regularly hang out at the spot.
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"As we all live nearby, this has become our hangout spot. We are all literature lovers and can have conversations about books. We love it," said Sadia Tasmia, one of the friends.
In the fast-paced Dhaka city – dubbed as a burgeoning concrete jungle by many – finding a relaxing public place for a few moments (let alone for a few hours) is a tall order. But many remain on the lookout.
In the past few years, book cafes have emerged across Dhaka to meet that demand. These unique spaces blend the cosy ambience of a coffee shop with the intellectual allure of a library. When both the home and the workplace prove to be stressful, this 'third place' could potentially offer you serenity.
We also spoke to book cafe owners across the capital to gauge people's interest in these spaces and to see if the business model is profitable.
Book cafe as a business
"Our key purpose is to promote literature and develop a habit of reading books. When people come and read, we see that as our profit. However, since a book cafe can attract more people, it ultimately has a positive impact on sales," said ARM Akhter Hossain, manager of Brand and Communications at Bengal Boi.
Entrepreneur Nayeem Khan Rajib, whom we found at the Reading Cafe in Banani, thinks it is a bit challenging to establish a book cafe as a profitable venture.
"To succeed, book cafe owners must be innovative and approach it not as their primary business, but as a social enterprise that complements another successful venture. With patience and strategic subsidies over time, I believe it can eventually become profitable," he said.
And that is exactly what Md Mahbubul Hasan Faisal has done with his Riddhi Book Cafe. He is an established businessman in the garment sector. This year, he redecorated his RMG factory at Mirpur-11 into a multi-purpose book cafe.
The ground floor offers a cafe with free reading facilities. The library is on the second floor and the third floor has a huge gallery room for hosting events.
Riddhi Book Cafe has now emerged as a cultural hub in Mirpur.
However, there are struggles. "People come here and spend hours without taking any food or reading a book. This tendency is mostly seen among the younger generation. Some of them come in groups and occupy the smoking zone for hours," Riddhi Book's Md Mahbubul Hasan Faisal noted.
"Additionally, young couples often make their time together too personal, which makes others uncomfortable, as it is a public place. I wanted Riddhi to be a free and relaxing place for everyone, but now I think I have to implement some strict rules and restrictions," he said.
Book cafe as 'the third place'
American urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg first coined the term 'third place' in his book "The Great Good Place" in 1989. Your first place is where you live and your second place is where you work. So, what's the third one? He characterised it as a place outside the home and workplace where one can engage in social interaction.
For many, that can be your local tea stall, university campuses, or regular cafes. But for someone who does not prefer the cacophony of these crowded places, a book cafe could be a better option.
In fact, a study titled "The Bookstore-Cafe: Emergence of a New Lifestyle as a "Third Place" in Hangzhou, China" in the Space and Culture journal argues that the bookstore cafe culture represents the emergence of a new lifestyle within the framework of Oldenburg's concept.
Dr Narae Lee, a postdoctoral scholar at the Population Research Institute of Pennsylvania State University, while conducting research on the impact of third places, found that one of their important features is social contact.
Apart from direct social interaction like conversations, such places can also offer indirect interaction. This means that just being around or surrounded by people with similar interests can give you a sense of socialisation.
Lee found they are closely tied to social well-being, particularly because we are living in an increasingly lonely society. Oldenburg also emphasised the importance of these public spaces for developing community and public life.
The rise of book cafes in Dhaka
The book cafe culture has existed in the developed world, especially in Western and European countries, for a long time. According to a Hindustan Times article, the culture took root around the year 2000 in India. However, for Bangladesh, the concept is relatively new.
A notable year for Dhaka's book cafes is 2017. The three pioneers that popularised this concept in the capital are Dipanpur, Bengal Boi and Batighar — and they all were established in 2017.
Batighar was already popular in Chattogram, and the bookshop chain expanded by introducing its second outlet at Banglamotor in Dhaka. However, Dipanpur and Bengal Boi were completely new, yet gained massive popularity within a short period.
Today, Bengal Boi is arguably the most popular cafe located at the heart of the city. The premises at Dhanmondi 27 are always found vibrant. Located on Elephant Road, Dipanpur was established in remembrance of secular publisher Faisal Abedin Deepan who was killed by extremists back in 2015. His spouse Dr Rajia Rahman Jolly established Dipanpur to preserve his memory and spirit.
The book cafe concept was adopted by many others in the following years.
Kabita Cafe emerged at Elephant Road in 2018. The Reading Cafe was established in Banani in 2021. It features a wide range of original English literature books. The same year, Prothoma Book Cafe was established at Chef's Table Courtside of United City.
The popular publication Pathak Samabesh also followed the trend and established its book cafe at Katabon in 2022. The latest addition to the list is Riddhi Book Cafe, established earlier this year at Mirpur-11.
While these are all originally bookshops that brought a homely experience to their visitors, the business model has also been replicated in reverse — many coffee shops have installed book corners so that their customers do not get bored while waiting for their orders.
Nerdy Bean Coffee Haus, Brutown Cafe and Coffee Buzz are a few such cafes. You can grab a book from the shelves while waiting for your coffee or as you sip it.
Meanwhile, Vive introduced a new concept last year, establishing the first 'study cafe' in the country. It is situated at the Mohanagar Project in Hatirjheel, Dhaka.
The study cafe has already gained public attention as it offers even more than a book cafe does. There are books you can read for free. Moreover, you are welcome to manage your tasks, collaborate in study groups, hold business meetings or even set up a remote office for the day.
A variety of food items, free WiFi and non-smoking environments offer people a comfortable and productive atmosphere. The best part is that there is no entry fee.
Bangladeshi author and journalist Anisul Hoque agrees on the significance of book cafes. "We should have more book cafes and good books should be displayed there. These also provide a chance to promote literature in multiple ways, like organising events on significant days," he said.
The significance of book cafes became more pertinent in the post-pandemic period when there was a shift from physical to online bookstores. Covid-19 led to the closure of many legacy bookstores.
Anisul Hoque opines that book cafes can resurrect the culture of reading.
