Wikipedia’s Main Page is often the first stop for readers seeking knowledge. While millions of people see the finished product every day, few realize the collaborative work that happens behind the scenes to keep it accurate, engaging, and constantly refreshed.
One of the most visible spaces on Bangla Wikipedia’s Main Page is “আপনি জানেন কী?” (“Did You Know?”), a section that showcases fascinating facts from recently created or significantly expanded articles. Each fact invites readers to discover something unexpected while encouraging contributors to improve the encyclopedia’s content.
In August 2025, I had the privilege of joining the team responsible for managing this section, becoming the second volunteer entrusted with maintaining one of Bangla Wikipedia’s most frequently visited pages.
A shared responsibility
For several years, the “Did You Know?” section had been managed by Faisal Bin Darul, who single-handedly reviewed nominations, verified articles, and prepared new facts for publication. As Bangla Wikipedia continued to grow, the community recognized the need to share this responsibility to ensure that the section remained active and regularly updated.
On 12 August 2025, I officially joined Faisal as a co-administrator of the “Did You Know?” section. It was a role that represented more than an additional editing task—it reflected the community’s trust in my experience and commitment to maintaining Wikipedia’s quality standards.
More than selecting interesting facts
Many readers see only a short sentence on the Main Page, but every published fact is the result of careful editorial work.
Managing the “Did You Know?” section involves reviewing community nominations, verifying that the supporting article satisfies Wikipedia’s quality requirements, checking reliable references, confirming that every claim is neutral and verifiable, and ensuring that the featured content represents a broad range of subjects.
Each update also requires coordination with fellow volunteers to schedule publication, balance different topics, and maintain a steady flow of new content for readers.
Beyond the technical work, the role also encourages editors to improve articles so they can qualify for nomination. In this way, “Did You Know?” serves not only as a showcase for high-quality content but also as a motivation for contributors to create better articles across Bangla Wikipedia.
Building on a decade of Wikimedia contributions
Taking on this responsibility felt like a natural extension of my Wikimedia journey.
Since joining Wikimedia in 2015, I have made more than 15,500 edits on Bangla Wikipedia. My contributions have included translating articles from English into Bangla, expanding content on science, history, language, and culture, participating in policy discussions, planning Cultural Exchange Program and training workshops, and contributing to numerous articles that later appeared in the “Did You Know?” section.
Having previously helped create many featured “Did You Know?” articles, becoming one of the volunteers responsible for curating the section itself offered a new perspective on Wikipedia’s collaborative processes. Instead of focusing only on writing articles, I became involved in ensuring that high-quality work from the wider community reached Bangla Wikipedia’s front page.
One year of curating knowledge
On 12 August 2026, my journey as a co-administrator of Bangla Wikipedia’s “Did You Know?” section reaches its first anniversary. Coincidentally, my final scheduled edition before this milestone was published on 5 August 2026, bringing to a close a full year of helping curate one of Bangla Wikipedia’s most visible spaces.
Over the past year, the role has strengthened my appreciation for the collaborative work that keeps Wikipedia thriving. Every edition has involved reviewing nominations, verifying sources, coordinating publication schedules, and working alongside fellow volunteers to ensure that readers encounter accurate, diverse, and engaging content on the Main Page.
During my first year managing Bangla Wikipedia’s “Did You Know?” section, I also completed the Wikimedia Foundation’s “Wikipedia for Researchers: Building Reliable Knowledge Through Citations” course on WikiLearn. The course reinforced something I encounter in every edition of “Did You Know?”: an interesting fact is only as valuable as the reliable sources that support it.
Leadership through service
Leadership in Wikimedia often happens quietly.
It is reflected not only in writing articles but also in reviewing edits, mentoring newcomers, maintaining workflows, and supporting community processes that readers rarely notice. Managing a Main Page section requires consistency, editorial judgment, attention to detail, and close collaboration with other volunteers.
For me, this role demonstrated how Wikimedia communities empower experienced contributors to take on responsibilities that help sustain the projects beyond content creation alone.
Every time a new fact appears on Bangla Wikipedia’s Main Page, it represents the collective effort of article writers, reviewers, copyeditors, photographers, and administrators working together. I am grateful to have become part of that process and to contribute to presenting reliable, diverse, and engaging knowledge to thousands of readers each day.
Community publications such as উইকিপত্রিকা (Wikipatrika) recorded this milestone when I joined the “Did You Know?” management team. While it marked an important personal achievement, I see it primarily as another opportunity to serve the Bangla Wikipedia community and strengthen one of its most visible public spaces.
Wikipedia’s strength has always come from volunteers working together. Supporting the Main Page is one small but meaningful way of helping that collaboration reach readers every single day.
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