Some workers are passing busy time with hammer and nail scolding while some others with bamboo cutting. This is the scene of the preparation for Amar Ekushey Book Fair-2024 at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.
Preparation for the month-long book fair is going in full swing to welcome tens of thousands of booklovers at the book fair from February 1. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the book fair.
To set up stalls and pavilions at Suhrawardy Udyan and on the Bangla Academy premises, workers were seen very busy with their works on Tuesday.
The book fair began its journey on the Bangla Academy premises informally in 1972, and it became institutionalised in 1978. The fair was named Amar Ekushey Granthamela and a guideline for it was formulated in 1984.
Bangla Academy director and member secretary of the fair organising committee Dr. K.M. Muzahidul Islam told The Business Post that they are working to make the fair successful. All the preparations are underway.
"The structure of the fair will be the same this year as it was last year. The number of new stalls and pavilions will not increase," he said.
"However, 77 applications have been received for getting new stalls. From there, we will approve some applications," he added.
Some 901 units were allocated to 601 publishing houses and organisations to sell and exhibit their books and publications in 2023.
The publishing companies have already completed their preparations to set up their pavilions and stalls.
Farid Ahmed, proprietor of Somoy Prokashon, said that their preparation is well. "We hope that we can get 50-60 new books published."
Afzal Hossain, publisher of Anindya Prokash, told The Business Post, "Our preparations are almost at an end. Now book printing is going on. I am hopeful that we can publish 50-55 new books from Anindya Prokash this year."
A total of 3,730 new titles hit the book fair in 2023. In the previous year, it was around 3,500. About 63 lakh 53 thousand and 463 readers visited the book fair in 2023 when books worth about Tk 47 crore were sold. The amount was Tk 52.5 crore in 2022.
The fair will remain open from 3pm to 9pm from Sundays to Thursdays and from 11am to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Commemorating the historic Language Movement of February 1952, Bangla Academy organises the book fair at its premises every year. Thousands of booklovers from across the country throng the fair venue throughout the month to buy books.
