Home ›› 15 Feb 2023 ›› Back
Every year, February comes with a swathe of special occasions and events for Bangladeshis – covering literature, love, trade and more. All of these culminated in its most colourful and festive atmosphere yet this month at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka as people visited the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2023 in droves yesterday.
Marking the occasion of Pahela Falgun and Valentine’s Day, people from all age brackets thronged one of the most prominent literary and cultural festivals of the country wearing colourful dresses and ornaments.
Many couples were seen browsing the books and exchanging gifts, while others enjoyed the various cultural programmes and traditional music performances across Dhaka University campus.
“I love how this fair brings together people from all walks of life to celebrate literature and culture. And on a day like today, it’s especially heartwarming to see so many couples enjoying the festivities together,” Tahmina, a college student said.
As the mood for festivity set in early, book sales too picked up pace bringing smiles to publishers and authors.
“As publishers, we feel proud to be a part of an event that celebrates literature and culture. And on a day like today, it’s great to see so many people come out and share their love of books with their loved ones,” said Ashraf, a salesman from Falguni Publication.
Around the premises of the book fair, people of different ages came to the fair wearing different types of colourful clothes, with yellow and basanti coloured dresses standing out the most.
Besides, many were walking around with bouquets of flowers in their hands to match the clothes around spring and Valentine’s Day.
Both young and middle-aged women had colourful circlets and garlands of flowers tied in their hair. In terms of clothes, traditional dresses including saree and panjabi took the spotlight.
As gift exchanging peaked on the occasion, almost every stall of the fair was crowded with book lovers and enthusiasts.
A salesman from Kakoli Publication said, “This year, we were seeing crowds since the day before the Pahela Falgun. We had a good sale on Monday and are expecting more sales today.”
Another salesman from Somoy publication said the increase in book price does not seem to be affecting people’s passion for their loved ones.
Many visitors to the Amar Ekushey Book Fair said they were looking to gift books to express their love as ‘books make for great gifts for loved ones’.
Sharmin, a student from Begum Badrunnessa Government Girls’ College said, “I think books make great gifts for loved ones. They last longer than flowers or chocolates and can be enjoyed for years to come. Plus, there’s nothing like sharing a favourite book with someone and discussing it together.”
Hasan, a young professional, added, “I love giving books to my loved ones. It’s a way to show that I care about their interests and want to support their personal growth. And who knows, they might discover a new favourite author or genre.”
