Wednesday, May 08, 2024
The highly anticipated month-long Amar Ekushey Boi Mela 2024 is scheduled to kick off Thursday at the Bangla Academy premises and the adjoining Suhrawardy Udyan.
A press conference held at the academy's AKSB auditorium on Tuesday provided details of the event, highlighting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's role in inaugurating the fair on Thursday, February 1.
During the inaugural ceremony, Prime Minister Hasina is set to distribute the Bangla Academy Literary Award 2023, honouring outstanding contributors.
The event will also witness the unveiling of new literary works, including "Collected Works of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Volume-2," published by Bangla Academy.
The Amar Ekushey Book Fair, organised solely by Bangla Academy this year, will cover an expansive area of 11,50,000 square feet, with 937 units allocated to 635 organisations. Notably, 173 units will be on the academy premises, while 764 units will be at the Suhrawardy Udyan section. The fair will feature 37 pavilions, with several changes in the arrangement of book stalls and facilities, including food courts.
The fair's outer path has been relocated closer to the Kali Mandir gate due to metro rail station placement, and there will be eight entry and exit points at strategic locations. Food stalls are structured within the Engineers' Institution's boundaries to minimize disruption to fairgoers.
A special segment, "Shishu Prohor," catering to young readers, will take place every Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 1 pm, and the "Shishu Chattar" will be located adjacent to the temple area. Seminars and cultural events on the main stage will occur daily at 4pm.
Security arrangements by Bangladesh Police, RAB, BGB, and other agencies will be stringent, with over 300 CCTV cameras monitoring the entire fair zone. Awards, including the "Chittaranjan Saha Memorial Award" for the best publishers, the "Munir Chowdhury Memorial Award" for outstanding books, the "Rokanuzzaman Khan Dadabhai Memorial Award" for the best children's book, and the "Artist Qayyum Chowdhury Memorial Award" for the best-designed stall, will be presented.
The Amar Ekushey Book Fair, initiated in 1972, is held annually in February to honour those who sacrificed their lives on February 21, 1952, for the recognition of Bangla as the mother tongue.
The fair will be open from 3pm to 9pm on regular days, from 11am to 9pm on holidays, and will open at 8am on February 21, International Mother Language Day. All entrance points will close after 8.30pm. The fait will run until February 29.
