Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Freedom Fighter Rezaul Karim said that Ekushey Book Fair has been organized to revive the spirit of liberation war.
CCC Mayor made the remarks while inaugurating the Amar Ekushey Book Fair organized by the Chattogram City Corporation at the gymnasium ground adjacent to MA Aziz Stadium on Wednesday.
CCC Mayor said that the whole nation fought unitedly in the 1970 on the basis of the spirit called by Father of the Nation Bangabandh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which has weakened today. After the untimely death of Bangabandhu, the anti-independence forces seized power and tried to confuse people, especially children, by brainwashing them. This book fair has been organized to reawaken the spirit of liberation war among the people by breaking the palace of lies through the book fair. From the significance of the language movement to the planning of the war of independence, the book helped to reach the masses. That is why this book fair is organized to give books to the people of Chattogram. Those who are not using Bengali on the signboards of the business establishments, use Bengali on the signboards. All people come to the fair in Chattogram, don't give mobile phones to the new generation, but give books.
Chittagong University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Shireen Akhtar said that the development of the state requires the development of education. A good education system is not possible without good quality books. This book fair has become popular with the walk of thousands of book lovers in Chittagong, which will give us courage in our fight to build a better Bangladesh.
CCC Chief Executive Officer Sheikh Muhammad Tauhidul Islam said that books act as a bridge between the present and the past and the future. I thank all those involved in organizing this language month book fair.
The programs of this year's fair include Nazrul Day, Mother Language Day, Folk Festival, Rabindra Festival, Youth Festival, Women Festival, Spring Festival, Mormi Festival, Recitation Festival, Ethnic Festival, Writers' Gathering, Youth Festival, Children's Festival, Professional Gathering, Liberation War Festival, Rhyme Festival, Quiz Competition, Chatgaon Festival, Short Film and Photo Exhibition, Closing and Prize Distribution Ceremony of the Book Fair.
The fair will be open to public daily from 3 pm to 9 pm and on holidays from 10 am to 9 pm. Famous poets and writers of the country, journalists, intellectuals, freedom fighters, educationists and eminent personalities from the cultural arena will participate in daily topical discussions.
Freedom fighter Mozaffar Ahmad, Chattogram Press Club President Salahuddin Md Reza, Book Fair convener Councillor Nishar Uddin Ahmed (Manju), Councillor Gazi Md Shafiul Azim, Hasan Murad Biplab, Nazmul Haque Duke, Abdus Salam Masum, Md Sheikh Zafarul Haider Chowdhury, Mohammad Abdul Mannan, Reserved Councillor Tshalima Begum Noorjahan, Rumki Sen Gupta, CCC Secretary Khaled Mahmud, Chief Revenue Officer Mohammad Nazrul Islam, Chief Education Officer Lutfun Nahar, Private Secretary to Mayor Muhammad Abul Hashem, Revenue Officer Syed Shamsul Tabriz, Education Officer Ujala Rani Chakma, Regional Executive Officer Md Rezaul Karim, Special Magistrate Manisha Mahajan, Deputy Secretary Ashek Rasul Chowdhury (Tipu), Executive Engineer Mirza Fazlul Quader, Public Relations and Protocol Officer Aziz Ahmad and CBA President Farid Ahmad, Senior Vice President Zahidul Alam Chowdhury, Joint General Editor Biplab Kumar Chowdhury were present.
In order to make the fair attractive, various sub-councils have been formed with the writers, literati, culture workers and book lovers of Chattogram. Daily programs are arranged with their help. The events will be attended by eminent writers, literati, educationists and intellectuals of Bangladesh. On the stage of the fair, patriotic songs will be performed every day.
A lot of open space has been kept in the fair so that the writer-reader visitors can walk freely and buy books while maintaining social distance. A total of 140 stalls have been allotted in a vast area of about 1 lakh 2 thousand 300 square feet. Of these, 32 are double stalls and 76 are single stalls. Creative elite publishing houses of Dhaka along with Chittagong are participating in the fair and have been allotted stalls. A total of 108 publishing houses including Dhaka and Chattogram are participating in the fair.