Ekushey Book Fair 2025 begins today

Md. Moniruzzaman :

The month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2025 is set to begin today at the Bangla Academy and Suhrawardy Udyan premises in the capital, welcoming writers, readers, and book lovers from across the country.

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the interim government, will officially inaugurate the country’s largest book fair today (Saturday), according to Dr. Sarkar Amin, Member Secretary of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair Committee. The announcement was made at a press conference on Thursday at the Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad (AKSB) auditorium of Bangla Academy.

This year’s book fair is themed “July Gono Obbhuthyan: Notun Bangladesh Binirman” (The July Uprising: Rebuilding a New Bangladesh).

The opening ceremony will be graced by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, Cultural Affairs Adviser of the Interim Government, as the special guest, while Bangla Academy Director General Mohammad Azam will deliver the welcome speech. The event will be presided over by Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque, President of Bangla Academy.

The fair will be open daily from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM on weekdays and 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM on weekends and holidays. However, on February 21, in honor of International Mother Language Day, the fair will open at 8:00 AM.

This year, 708 publishers are set to participate in the book fair, with 99 stalls at the Bangla Academy premises and 609 stalls at Suhrawardy Udyan. Additionally, 37 pavilions have been set up across both locations.

A dedicated space for little magazines has been allocated near the open stage at Suhrawardy Udyan, featuring around 130 stalls.

Dr. Sarkar Amin noted that while the overall structure of the book fair will remain similar to last year, some adjustments have been made for better organization and accessibility.

The Amar Ekushey Book Fair, held annually in February, is a tribute to the Language Movement Martyrs of 1952 and remains the most significant literary event in Bangladesh, drawing thousands of visitors each day.