The Oracle Students' Library in Araji Palashbari village of Halokhana union under Sadarupazila of Kurigram has been making a difference in the lives of students. Students involved with the library are conducting various social activities besides their studies, such as collecting books for the library, teaching dropout students, providing coaching for local students, developing computer skills, tree plantation and creating a platform for resisting early marriage in the community.

Eight students led by Mojahedul Islam, who is now a Senior Officer of Sonali Bank Ltd, set up the library called 'Oracle Students' Library' with some books in Mojahedul's house in 2000 at Araji Palashbari village. In the beginning, about ten students who had passed their SSC started to frequent the library. They conducted reading sessions and free coaching for school students at the library. Student Jahangir Alom, who is a now Warrant Officer of Bangladesh Army, played the main role of organising local students.

As the number of students of the library increased, the people behind the library constructed a two-storied tin-shed house beside Tapurchar Government Primary School at Araji Palashbari village in October 2008. To create a pleasant learning atmosphere, they have made a garden around the library.

There are over 400 books of various types including study books, story books, books on computers, books on general knowledge, books on freedom fighters and biography of noble men at the library. The books were collected from ex-students and local people. The ex-students have been providing four newspapers including the Daily Prothom Alo and the Daily Ittefaq for over six years. Now, over 120 students, including 55 girls, visit the library regularly. The library is open from 6 am to 8 pm everyday and about 60 to 80 students study there every day. There are classes for local students in two shifts, first from 6 am to 8 am and then from 4 pm to 5:30 pm every day. Ten senior students, including four girls, teach the classes without any financial gain.

To beautify Halokhana union, the students planted over 2,000 plants of Krisnachura tree in all wards of Halokhana union since 2008, but only about 450 of the ones planted are alive. Shahida Akhtar, a reader of the library and BA (honours) student of Kurigram Government College, said, "We are facing a shortage of chairs, tables, book-shelves, books and accommodation for the library now that we have so many readers. We (girl students) have no scope of studying in the government public library of Kurigram town. At least 15 girl students of Araji Palashbari, Tapurchar, Subharkuthi and Char Subharkuthi villages of the union study in the library. We are in need of help with books and furniture for the library."

"A non-resident Bangladeshi Anwarul Islam Bakshi who lives in Australia donated two computer sets to the library in October 2013 when he visited. The students take training on basic computer skills at the Halokhana Union Digital Centre accordingly and learn in groups between 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm every day," said Jahangir Alom, General Secretary of the library.

"Halokana union is a poor area in Kurigram district. We have been able to conduct the library's activities because we are fortunate enough to receive volunteers who offer their services for free for the betterment of the community. Our main aim is to establish Halokhana as an ideal and educated union. We hope many others are inspired by our model and establish libraries like Oracle Students' Library in other rural areas of the country," said Saiful Islam, President of the library. "We need more books and furniture, but we do not receive money directly from donors for library activities. We need agriculture-based books and journals – we get a lot of requests from people who come to read newspapers and books every day," said Saiful.