Bangladesh
Book Fair Government planning to organise 'Amar Ekushey Book Fair' in April-May
Dhaka, January 15: The government is planning to organise 'Amar Ekushey Book Fair' in April-May. However, publishers want it to be done in late February or early March. A discussion regarding the same will be held on January 17 at the meeting of Bangla Academy, following which it will be known when the book fair will be held, sources said.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Abdul Mannan Ilias told the Bengali Tribune, "The second wave of corona is going on. Not everything can be done even if there is a will. "Because of Corona, there is no opportunity for large gatherings at that time. Therefore, the situation needs to be taken into consideration. Everything will be fine with the decision of the higher echelons of the government. But whatever the decision, the book fair will be organized keeping in mind the issue of health security."
Habibullah Siraji, director general of Bangla Academy, said, "We have no opinion on this. The decision will be taken by the government or the ministry. It is the responsibility of Bangla Academy to hold book fairs. But it is the responsibility of the state to protect the security of the people." Said. "
Farid Ahmed, president of the Knowledge and Creative Publishers Association, said: "We want the February book fair in February. But it depends on when the government takes the book fair. If the government starts at the end of February or early March, it may happen. It takes us to a time when the fair is disrupted due to natural causes, then we have something to say."
The Bangladesh Knowledge and Creative Publishers Association, one of the organizers of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair, requested at a meeting on January 5 that the book fair be held in March, though it could not be held in February.
Shyamal Pal, vice-president of Bangladesh Book Publishers and Sellers Association, said, "If a book fair is held in April or May, especially in May, crores of rupees will be wasted in the rains. The infrastructure with which book fair stalls are set up cannot save books in storms or rains. That's why we want a book fair in March."
