A week-long divisional book fair will kick off in Chittagong on October 14 with an aim to create interest in reading books among people of all levels of society including school and college students.
The fair - which will be held at Chittagong City Corporation Municipal Model School and College – will remain open from 3pm to 9pm every day till October 20.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Mohammad Shamim Alam disclosed the information in a press conference at the conference room of the Chittagong Divisional Commissioner's office on Thursday.
The Ministry of Cultural Affairs in collaboration with the Chittagong Divisional Commissioner's Office and the Bangladesh Publishers and Book-sellers Association (BAPUS) is organising the fair.
“The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has to expend around Tk 10 lakh for organising the week-long divisional book fair. Cultural programs will be held every day including essay writing, debate, and painting competition. A prize distribution and closing ceremony will be held on the closing day,” said Shamim.
There will be 75 stalls at the book fair - 10 government publishing houses including Bangla Academy, 48 national-level publishing houses and 17 publishing houses of Chittagong Creative Publishers Parishad.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud MP will inaugurate the book fair as the chief guest and Chittagong's Divisional Commissioner Md Tofail Islam will preside over the ceremony.
Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury will be the chief guest on the closing day's programme, while Chittagong University Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Dr Shireen Akhtar, Chittagong Range DIG of Police Md Nure Alam Meena and District Freedom Fighters Congress Acting Commander Bir Muktijodha AKM Sarwar Kamal will be the special guests.
