Language month is February. The Amar Ekushey Book Fair was supposed to start from the first day of this month as per the traditional rules. However, due to the aggression of the epidemic, the fair of life did not start at the specified time. The schedule of the fair is two weeks behind. On that occasion, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair dedicated to the memory of the language martyrs will start from February 15. This year’s book festival will be held to mark the golden jubilee of independence and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu. Due to the Corona situation, the life span of the fair is decreasing this time. That means the duration of the fair will be two weeks instead of one month. Will continue till 26th February. However, State Minister for Culture KM Khalid has indicated that the duration of the fair may be extended if the situation in Corona improves even though it has been fixed for two weeks at present. On the other hand, even though the life expectancy has decreased, the time of the fair is increasing. Every year the fair starts from 3 pm but this time it will start one hour earlier. Due to that, the fair will start at 2 pm and will continue till 9 pm. Therefore, this biggest cultural festival of Bengalis will last up to 6 hours instead of 6 hours on a normal day except holidays. Due to Corona, the ticker certificate has been made compulsory for all the writers, publishers and visitors who came to the fair this time. You have to enter the book fair by showing the certificate of taking at least one dose of vaccine.
State Minister for Culture KM Khalid inspected the preparations for the book fair at Suhrawardy Udyan on Friday afternoon. At that time, he said, the duration of the book fair has been fixed for two weeks. However, there are plans to extend the book fair if the corona infection situation improves. In fact, we have become accustomed to month-long book fairs. But due to the Corona situation, the duration of the fair has been initially fixed at two weeks. This period is likely to be extended. When the rate of infection is under control, the time of the fair may increase
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the virtual book fair on February 15 at 3 pm. On this occasion, 15 writers including poets, storytellers and researchers who have won the Bangla Academy Literary Award 2021 will be officially awarded.
Regarding the book fair, the secretary of Bangla Academy AHM Lokman told Janakantha that considering the health risks, the issue of vaccine has been confirmed for the visitors. Only those who have taken at least one dose of vaccine can enter the fair. For this reason, writers, publishers, visitors and all those associated with the fair must bring a certificate of vaccination to the book fair. Regarding the scope of the fair, he said, for now, the book fair will start on February 15 and will continue till February 28. At present this is the final decision. However, the duration of the fair may be extended if the infection situation improves and nature is kind. That decision will be taken considering the favorable situation. Because, many people including publishers and writers want to increase the scope of the fair. Publishers also suffered financial losses last year due to the hostile epidemic. So we want them not to be harmed again. Therefore, the scope of the fair is likely to change as the situation improves.
Member secretary of the book fair and director of Bangla Academy Jalal Ahmed told Janakantha that this year’s book fair will be held by tackling the epidemic challenge. The stall owners have been informed about the designated place through lottery on February 8. Preparations for the final moment are now underway. I hope the infrastructural work will be completed by 14th February. He said 520 publishing houses are participating in this year’s fair. There will be stalls of four units, three units, two units and one unit with 35 pavilions. As always, there will be book stalls of creative publishing houses in Suhrawardy Udyan. There will be a Children’s Corner, Little Magazine Square, Writer’s Guy Mancha and book unwrapping stage. There will be multiple food courts. In addition to the academy stalls in the Bangla Academy premises, various government and non-government organizations, NGOs and media stalls.
This time there will be four entrances to the book fair in Suhrawardy Udyan. The fair can be reached through the gate of Suhrawardy Udyan opposite TSC, the opposite gate of Bangla Academy, the gate adjacent to Kali Mandir and the entrance next to the Institution of Engineers.
This year’s book festival dedicated to the memory of the language martyrs will be held on the occasion of the golden jubilee of independence and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu. On that occasion, the image of the golden jubilee of independence and the year of Mujib will be reflected in the decoration of the fair. Special alphabetical installations will be presented in the area adjacent to the Suhrawardy Udyan Independence Pillar. Architect Enamul Karim Nirjhar has designed the fair again in the last few years.
Farid Ahmed, president of the Knowledge and Creative Publishers Association, told Janakantha about this year’s book fair, “We welcome this two-week book fair instead of one month.” Because, outside of business interests, there is passion and love involved with the book fair. Therefore, it is a great thing to keep this book festival going on to pay homage to the martyrs of the mother tongue. There is no reason not to have a book fair when everything is going on. The publisher of the time publication said that the duration of the fair has been fixed at two weeks instead of one month considering the Corona situation. Publishers were at a loss last year for a month at the book fair. So there is no way to force anything in the situation that arises. On the contrary, if the situation is normal, the issue of extension of the fair will be considered in the light of the decision of all. And if that is the case, we will want the fair time to increase till Bangabandhu’s birthday i.e. March 16.
Regarding the book fair, Mazharul Islam, general secretary of the book publishers and sellers association, said, “I hope this year’s book fair will return to normal.” Because, last year