State Minister for Culture KM Khalid said that Gopalganj, a place of pilgrimage and a historic land of politics, is a town rich in various materials of literature. This town is the birthplace of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the great architect of independence, the artisan of building a non-communal Bengal. Just as people get spiritual peace when they go to religious holy places, so I get such an air of peace when I come to Gopalganj. The 'District Literary Fair 2022' organized by Bangla Academy has been inaugurated from that traditional Gopalganj district.
The state minister was speaking at the inaugural function of the two-day (July 2-03) 'District Sahitya Mela 2022' organized by Bangla Academy under the auspices of Gopalganj district administration at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Memorial Auditorium of Gopalganj District Shilpakala Academy on Saturday morning.
The state minister for culture said district literary fairs would be organized in 64 districts of the country before the next Amar Ekushey Book Fair. Under the direction of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the fair has been organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture with the aim of highlighting the works of district level writers at the national level. Calling on the young writers and students to be involved in the literary fair, the state minister said, "Famous writers, poets and writers of tomorrow will come out from among them." He said that in order to motivate young writers to engage in literary pursuits, separate sessions or slots should be allotted at the literary fair and measures should be taken to reward the best among them. KM Khalid said that the number of writers who make a living by writing is insignificant. Most people write to provide food for life. He said that his place was in the leafy huts of the poor as well as in the luxurious palaces of the rich. The state minister said Calcutta was once the center of Bengali literature. After the partition of the country in 1947 and later the great war of liberation in 1971, Dhaka, the capital of independent Bangladesh, became the center of Bengali language and literature and culture.
Gopalganj Additional District Magistrate Iqbal Hossain presided over the function and Director General of Bangla Academy Muhammad Nurul Huda addressed the function. Chairman of Gopalganj Sadar Upazila Parishad Sheikh Lutfar Rahman Bachchu delivered the welcome address. Secretary of the Bangla Academy spoke at the opening ceremony. H. M. Lokman. Director of Bangla Academy Nurunnahar Khanam expressed his gratitude.