The book fair begins

The month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair begins on the Bangla Academy premises today.  Chittaranjan Saha, proprietor of Muktodhara Prokashoni, started the fair as homage to the 1952 Language Movement martyrs with 32 books spread on a mat from his publication house in 1972.  No one could have imagined at that time that some day it would become the most frequented rendezvous of the publishers, booksellers, writers, readers and even casual browsers - all converging on this hallowed ground.

The full-fledged book fair began in 1984 and hugely expanded in size, number of publications on display, and in terms of attracting visitors over the years. Ekushey Book Fair is symbolic of our love for Bangla language and literature. It also provides something of a basis to gauge how far we have progressed in developing our language and literature including translation of books from foreign languages into our mother tongue. Quite astonishingly, 70 per cent of all books in the country are sold during this time and only in this month alone 90 per cent of the books are published. It is the cultural and literary reunion of all Bangladeshis where nearly every booklover comes. Discount on books is an added incentive.

At present the area of the fair is much more spacious with most stalls at the Suhrawardy Uddyan. Here young boys and girls come up with their publications. The true enthusiasm of the book fair lies across the Bangla Academy though. People walk through the security check points with huge enthusiasm. The colourful stalls are no longer put up together in a haphazard manner. If anyone looks for a specific stall, the handy large map at the entrance gives him the location. It is an enjoyable sight to see potential buyers looking through the many publishers to get the books of their choice.  

It is the responsibility of Bangla Academy to make the event more entertaining and friendlier place for the booklovers. The issue of security should be of top priority so that no unsavoury element can disrupt the peaceful environment at the book fair.

 

The book fair begins

The month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair begins on the Bangla Academy premises today. Chittaranjan Saha, proprietor of Muktodhara Prokashoni, started the fair as homage to the 1952 Language Movement martyrs with 32 books spread on a mat from his publication house in 1972. No one could have imagined at that time that some day it would become the most frequented rendezvous of the publishers, booksellers, writers, readers and even casual browsers - all converging on this hallowed ground. The full-fledged book fair began in 1984 and hugely expanded in size, number of publications on display, and in terms of attracting visitors over the years. Ekushey Book Fair is symbolic of our love for Bangla language and literature. It also provides something of a basis to gauge how far we have progressed in developing our language and literature including translation of books from foreign languages into our mother tongue. Quite astonishingly, 70 per cent of all books in the country are sold during this time and only in this month alone 90 per cent of the books are published. It is the cultural and literary reunion of all Bangladeshis where nearly every booklover comes. Discount on books is an added incentive. At present the area of the fair is much more spacious with most stalls at the Suhrawardy Uddyan. Here young boys and girls come up with their publications. The true enthusiasm of the book fair lies across the Bangla Academy though. People walk through the security check points with huge enthusiasm. The colourful stalls are no longer put up together in a haphazard manner. If anyone looks for a specific stall, the handy large map at the entrance gives him the location. It is an enjoyable sight to see potential buyers looking through the many publishers to get the books of their choice. It is the responsibility of Bangla Academy to make the event more entertaining and friendlier place for the booklovers. The issue of security should be of top priority so that no unsavoury element can disrupt the peaceful environment at the book fair.