The month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair, a yearly event for book lovers and publishers, will come to an end today with release of a record number of books. Member secretary of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2020 Jalal Ahmed will present the report of the fair while Director General of the Academy Habibullah Sirajee will deliver the welcome speech.
Hundreds of thousands of booklovers on Friday thronged the fair premises to seize the last opportunity to collect books of their choices. Book fair on Friday highest number of crowds. Booksellers were seen struggling to manage that huge bookworms. Publishers and readers expressed satisfaction over the sells and participation of that huge people from all walk of life.
Bangla Academy authority will arrange a closing ceremony in the evening at the main stage of the fair where noted personalities will present.
Notably, over a hundred new books on the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, have been published for Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2020.
A total of 130 books on Bangabandhu, spanning multiple genres including poetry, research, liberation war, essay, adventure novel, and kids’ books, hit this year’s book fair. Of them, only 20 books cost over Tk500, the most expensive one selling for Tk2600. The other 110 titles cost between Tk 50 to Tk 500.
Kishore Bangla, edited by Mir Mosharraf Hossain, is the most inexpensive one priced at Tk50, while Shatabdir Bangabandhu by Md Hannan, published by Agami Publications, is the most expensive one priced at Tk 2600. Several books were published on the Bengali legend’s political career, his prison life, his diplomatic thoughts, and friendships.
Bangla Academy published 26 new titles on Bangabandhu’s life and political views, including Bangabandhur Andolon Koushol O Hartal (Bangabandhu’s method of Protest and Strike). “Amar Dekha Naya Chin” (The New China I Saw), the third book authored by Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was published by Bangla Academy and unveiled at this fair by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
At least four titles were published on Bangabandhu’s speeches by various publishers.
Written by Md Mahbubur Rahman and published by Agami Publications, Islam Prosare Bangabandhu Ebong Sheikh Hasina (Bangabandhu and Sheikh Hasina’s Role in Spreading Islam) reflects his thoughts about religion. Rakib Hasan, a student of the mass communication and journalism Department of Dhaka University, told this correspondent: “It is appropriate that these many titles are being published on Bangabandhu. But we have to be careful of opportunistic people so that the spirit of Bangabandhu does not become a business commodity.”
There is a “Bangabandhu Path,” set up on the book fair premises, featuring books written by and on Bangabandhu. It has seating arrangements for readers and visitors, where they can read as many books on the Father of the Nation as they like. Young writers experienced a surge of separate fan bases, and publishers drew huge sales.
Md Rakib, senior sales executive of Annesha Publication, said: "We are satisfied with the sales. Many books are on top of the favorites’ list of book lovers. Novels of young writers such as Sadat Hossain, Arif Azad, Kingkar Ahsan and Abdullah Al Imran are selling well." He claimed books by Humayun Ahmed are still top sellers as usual.
Moreover, noted writer Dr Muhammad Zafar Iqbal visited the fair on the day. His fans, mostly young students, took the opportunity to take photos and selfies with him. Moreover, mobile banking service Bkash's book donation campaign has become enriched in the last days of the fair.
An executive of Bkash, Saiful Islam Hredoy, said: "Thousands of books were donated with some people donating about 200 books altogether."
Md Nurul Islam, a resident of Azimpur area, said: "The fair is organized only once a year. I have the habit of buying books only during this month of the year. If such book fairs are organized more than once in a year, the pressure in February in this area would also be reduced." "I am going to miss the fair," he added.