HC orders Bangla Academy to allot stall to Adarsha Prokashoni

Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Wednesday directed the Bangla Academy to immediately allot a stall to Adarsha Prokashoni in the Ekushey Book Fair this year, on a condition that the publishing house cannot sell and display the three books, about which Bangla Academy raised objections, at its stall.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Mahabub Rahman, the CEO of Adarsha Prokashoni, seeking its directives upon the respondents to allot Adarsha a stall.
Meanwhile, Adarsha Prokashoni has submitted an undertaking to the court that they will not keep the three books, about which Bangla Academy raised objection, at its stall.
Three books are— ‘Oprotirodhyo Unyaner Obhabonio Kothamala’ by Foyez Ahmed Toiyob, ‘Bangalir Mediocrityr Sondhane’ by Faham Abdus Salam, and ‘Unyan Bivrom’ by Zia Hasan. Faham is the son-in-law of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
The court also issued a rule asking the Bangla Academy and other government bodies to explain as to why the academy’s decision not to allow Adarsha Prokashoni to run its stall in the Book Fair should not be declared illegal.
Barrister Aneek R Haque appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the writ petitioner, while Assistant Attorney General Md Salim Azad represented the state.
The academy blocked Adarsha’s allotment because of three books. Challenging the decision Mahabub Rahman, the CEO of Adarsha Prokashoni, filed the writ petition on February 2 seeking HC directives regarding the issue.