People from all walks of life gathered on the premises of Bangla Academy and Suhrawardy Udyan marking the International Mother Language Day on Friday.
People started gathering at the venues at around 10:00am, although the fair was opened at 8:00am for the day. There was also the two-hour Children Hour from 11:00am to 1:00pm.
Bangla Academy, the host organisation of the fair, began its activity at 12:30am by offering wreaths at the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar.
They also held a self-penned poems recitation on the academy premises at 7:30am where 120 poets from across the country along with some Indian poets recited their poems.
The poems addressed the language movement, patriotism, Liberation War, country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other issues.
Among them, Rawshan Ara recited Priya Bangla Bhasha, Tarak Debnath recited Swapna, Selim Khan recited O Bangali Bangla Bhasha, Hamida Yesmin recited Pratibadi Ekush, Minati Das recited Tumi Ar Kedo Na Ma, and Imran Parash recited Bangalir Pita.
Besides Indian poets, namely— Taposh Halder, Bikash Bishwash, Meghchaya Sarkar and others— recited self-penned poems.
The Shishu Chattar, the place for children’s gathering, at the Suhrawardy Udyan was jam-packed with parents and children. The stalls at the Children’s Corner were also spontaneous with their sales.
Ataul Habib, a private organisation employee, said, ‘I came here with my four-year old son to join the Children’s Hour. I enjoyed the moments. I have bought some children’s books on adventure, ghost stories and drawing chosen by my son.’
Kawser Hossain, a businessman, said, ‘I came at the fair along with my children. Some of the children’s books are without price tags. The food courts are taking high charges. The Children’s Hour was scheduled for 11:00am while they stared at 11:40am. I think that the book fair is becoming like a trade fair’.
Kamran Hasan, an attendant at Shishu Nandan stall, said, ‘We came at the fair at 8:00am. We thought that more people would gather at the fair from the early morning. The people are gathering at the fair from 10:00am. We are not satisfied with our sales that we wished yesterday’.
The fair was opened at 8:00am today and would continue till 8:30pm without any break.
