Amar Ekushey Book Fair begins

The month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair, the biggest event in the country’s literary arena, began on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the book fair at the Bangla Academy premises and Suhrawardy Udyan.

She also distributed the ‘Bangla Academy Literary Award-2022’ and launched seven books published by the Bangla Academy at the event.

In her opening speech, Sheikh Hasina emphasised the significance of literature, sports, and culture for the younger generation, advising them to stay away from drugs and terrorism. She also spoke of establishing cultural centres across the country and the government’s efforts to spread the language and culture through book fairs.

The Bangla Academy Sahitya Award-2022 went to Farooq Mahmood and Tariq Sujat for poetry, Tapas Majumdar and Parvez Hossain for fiction, Masuduzzaman for essay/research, Alam Khorshed for translation, Milan Kanti Dey and Farid Ahmad Dulal for drama, Dhruba Esh for children’s literature, Muhammad Shamsul Haque for liberation war research, Subhash Singh Roy for Bangabandhu research, Mokaram Hossain for science/science fiction/environment, Iqtiyar Chowdhury for autobiography/memoir/travel story, and Abdul Khalek and Muhammad Abdul Jalil for folklore.

State Minister for Culture KM Khalid was the special guest at the event, which was presided over by Selina Hossain, the president of Bangla Academy and a fiction writer.

The book fair will remain open every day from 3:00pm to 9:00pm, except on holidays, and visitors, buyers, and readers will not be able to enter the premises after 8:30pm. On public holidays, the fair will remain open from 11:00am to 9:00pm, with an hour break for lunch and prayers.

This year the fair covers an area of 11.5 lakh square feet, with 165 stalls allocated to 112 institutions in the Bangla Academy premises and 736 stalls allotted to 489 institutions in Suhrawardy Udyan. The Bangla Academy and Suhrawardy Udyan will have a total of 38 pavilions, and 153 stalls will be accommodated in the Littlemag Chattar.

This book fair is a significant cultural event in Bangladesh, offering an opportunity for people to come together and celebrate their love for literature. It brings together writers, publishers, and book lovers, offering a platform for the exchange of ideas and the promotion of literary works. The event also offers a chance for people to learn about new books and authors, as well as to purchase books at discounted prices.

The month-long book fair provides a platform for cultural and literary activities, including seminars, workshops, book signings, and other events, showcasing the richness and diversity of the Bangladeshi literary tradition. It also provides a glimpse into the cultural heritage and values of Bangladesh, which are deeply rooted in its rich language and literary tradition.