Ekushey Book Fair to start its traditional date after 3 years

Md. Moniruzzaman :
The month-long ‘Amar Ekushey Book Fair’, also known as the writer-reader-publisher reunion, will kick off from its traditional date of the first day of February this year after three years interval due to Corona pandemic.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the fair in person this year at 3:00pm on February 1,” Member-Secretary of the Book Fair Committee Dr KM Muzahidul Islam told The New Nation on Tuesday.
The Book Fair will remain open from 2:00pm to 9.00pm on weekdays and for holidays the time span will be 11am to 8:30pm.
There will be four entrance and exit gates of the book fair while the Ramna Kali Mondir gate will be used as the main gate. The other one is adjacent to Ramna Engineering Institute, one is adjacent to TSC of Dhaka University, and the other is opposite to Bangla Academy.
A number of 704 stalls except the pavilion are allocated among 573 organisations to exhibit and sell books; 470 organisations including 367 general stalls, 69 stalls in the children’s yard and 64 pavilions on the Suhrawardy Udyan and 103 general stalls and 147 pavilions in the Bangla Academy premises.
Besides, 182 stalls and 11 pavilions adjacent to the Institution of Engineers have relocated to the centre of the Suhrawardy Udyan while that spot has been allocated to Lakhok Bolci, food court and other service provider institutions.
The Bangla Academy has distributed the stalls to the publication’s owners. Most of the publications have already been started to make the body of the stalls.
While visiting the book fair venue, it was seen that preparations for the book fair are going on in full swing. The fair management
committee also expected that the preparation would be completed before the stipulated time.
“A taskforce committee has been formed according to the decision of the inter-ministerial meeting on January 19 to ensure the fair peacefully. The State Minister of Cultural Affairs has given strict instructions that the taskforce should monitor the fair properly from the first day of the book fair,” KM Muzahidul Islam said.
Some changes have been brought to this year’s fair, he said, adding that the main stage of the fair will be on the Bangla Academy premises while book unwrapping and Lakhok Bolchi stages will be set up on Suhrawardy Udyan premises.
The children’s yard location has also been changed. It will be near the main gate, where the kids will enjoy different events including Sisimpur.
At the end of this year’s book fair, four awards- ‘Chittaranjan Saha Smriti Award’, ‘Munir Chowdhury Smriti Award’, ‘Rokanuzzaman Khan Dadabhai Smriti Award’, and ‘Artist Qayyum Chowdhury Smriti Award’ will be given under different categories.