Month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2024 began on Bangla Academy premises and at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on Thursday.
Bangla Academy organises the country’s largest annual book fair commemorating the historic Language Movement of 1952 and the martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the movement.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina was present as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony and inaugurated the fair.
She unveiled two books — the Collected Works of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Volume-2 and Praner Melay Sheikh Hasina, published by the academy.
The PM also handed over the Bangla Academy Literary Award 2023 to the winners.
The sixteen award recipients are — Shamim Azad in poetry category, Nuruddin Jahangir and Salma Bani in fiction, Zulfiker Matin in essay and research, Saleha Chowdhury in translation, Mrittika Chakma and Masud Pathik in drama, Tapankar Chakrabarty in juvenile literature, Afroza Parvin and Asaduzzaman Asad in research on the War of Independence, Saifullah Mahmud Dulal and Md Mojibur Rahman in research on the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Enam Ul Haque in science, Ishak Khan in autobiography and Tapan Bagchi and Sumankumar Das in folklore.
This year’s slogan of the fair is ‘Poro Boi Goro Desh, Bangabandhu’r Bangladesh’, same as the last year’s slogan.
Bangla Academy director general Mohammad Nurul Huda delivered welcome speech while cultural affairs secretary Khalil Ahmed attended the inaugural ceremony as special guest. The session was presided over by the academy’s president Selina Hossain.
Book lovers can buy books at a 25 per cent discounted price at the fair.
Book fair authorities have allotted 937 units to 635 publishing houses and organisations in around 11.5 lakh square feet area for the country’s biggest book fair.
Among the allocations, 173 units are allocated to 120 publishing houses and organisations on the Bangla Academy premises, while 764 units are allocated to 515 publishing houses and organisations at Suhrawardy Udyan.
Besides, the authorities have allocated stalls for 170 little magazines and 37 pavilions have been allocated to big publishing houses and organisations.
There are eight gates beside the Teacher-Student centre, Ramna Kali Mandir, Doel Chatwar and The Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in Suhrawardy Udyan part of the fair and two gates in Bangla Academy part to enter and exit the fair venues.
The month-long book fair is also featuring seminars, cultural shows, writers’ talk, children’s painting, recitation and music competitions and other activities.
The fair will remain open from 3:00pm to 9:00pm every day except holidays. Visitors will not be allowed to enter the fair after 8:30pm.
It will open at 11:00am on Friday, Saturday and public holidays and at 8:00am on February 21.
There will be Shishu Prahar or dedicated hours especially for children from 11:00am to 1:00pm on every Friday and Saturday.
The book fair will end on February 29.
