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As sales usually grow at the book fair after mid-February, publishers and sellers expect from their past experience that it will also continue to gain pace on working days this year.
According to them, they might see higher sales on working days starting from today (Sunday) as sales generally go up after February 14 or 15 due to high turnout.
Amjad Hossain Kajal, manager of Oitijjo, said that they are publishing 203 books this year and they are happy with sales this weekend.
“Book prices of the new print edition are comparatively higher this year but this could not stop readers from buying books. If your books are good, readers will buy them,” he added.
According to Bangladesh Publishers and Booksellers Association (BAPUS), book prices have gone up by 22 per cent compared to last year.
Mohammad Younus Ali, in-charge of Katha Prakash Publication, said that they saw high visitors’ turnout and sales boost at the weekend. “And if the uptrend in sales continues, it will help the booksellers to recoup losses they incurred during the Covid-19 pandemic in last two years.”
“We all are looking for is to see how sales will go on Sunday,” he added.
Echoing several publishers, Shyamal Paul, convener of Amar Ekushey Book Fair Standing Committee, also VP of BAPUS, said that next three or four days would give the booksellers an accurate sales scenario.
“If sales rise on the working days, it will indicate a good season for us,” he added.
Asked about the impact of higher prices of books, he said very little books or reprint of the books are published or sold at the fair and so the impact is lower till now.
According to Bangla Academy, the organiser of the book fair, some 191 books were published yesterday, bringing the newly arrived books to 1,116.
BAPUS has expressed fears that the number of publications at the fair is likely to be reduced by 50 per cent this year compared to last year since the prices of paper and books witnessed a 100 per cent and 22 per cent increase respectively.
