Staff Reporter :
The month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair-2020 began on Bangla Academy premises and at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital on Sunday afternoon.
This year the theme of the fair is “Birth Centenary of Bangabandhu” and the book fair will be dedicated to the iconic leader, marking his birth centenary. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the fair on the Bangla Academy premises in the afternoon.
The premier also unveiled the cover of the third book written by Bangabandhu titled “Amar Dekha Naya Chin” (The New China as I Saw It). After inaugurating the fair, the prime minister visited different stalls there.
Secretary of the Cultural Affairs Ministry Dr Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal and President of Bangladesh Book Publishers and Sellers Association Arif Hossain Chhotan also spoke followed by the welcome speech by Bangla Academy Director General Habibullah Siraji.
Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Deputy Speaker Fazley Rabbi Mian, State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, parliament members, foreign diplomats, Bangla Academy fellows, senior journalists, writers, poets, publishers and senior civil and military officials, among other, were present there on the occasion chaired by National Professor Dr Anisuzzamanin.
In the meantime, the Prime Minister also handed over Bangla Academy Literary Award 2019 among 10 poets and writers.
This year’s award winners are Makid Haider (poem), Wasi Ahmed (fiction), Swarochis Sarker (essay and research), Khairul Alam Sabuj (translation), Ratan Siddique (drama), Rahim Shah (juvenile literature), Rafiqul Islam Bir Uttam (Liberation War-based literature), Nadira Mazumder (science fiction), Faruque Moinuddin (autobiography or travelogue) and Saimon Zakaria (folklore).
This year the land earmarked for the fair has been expanded to 8,00,000 square fts. A total of 873 units were allocated to 560 organisations. The authorities have allotted 179 units at the Bangla Academy ground to 126 organisations and 694 at the Suhrawardy Udyan to 434 organisations and a total of 34 pavilions have been allocated this year.
This year, little magazine chattar has been moved to main fair premises of Suhrawardy Udyan.
Small publishing companies and individuals haring published books, there will be arrangements for selling and displaying of their books in the stall of the National Book Centre.
Bangla Academy and other organizations will sell their books at 25 percent commission.
Bangla Academy will also organise ‘Shishu Chattar’ this year where children can enjoy ‘Shishu Prahar’ (children time) during the fair.
A mancha (stage) for holding publication ceremonies and programmes on unveiling covers of the books has been set up at Suhrawardy Udyan.
Besides, “Chittaranjan Saha Memorial Award”, “Munir Chowdhury Smriti Puraskar “, “Rokanuzzaman Khan Dadabhai Smrity Award” and “Qayyum Chowdhury memorial award” will be announced.
Publishers from across the country will come to the fair with a wide variety of books while Bangla Academy will exhibit around 200 newly-printed and reprinted books.
There will be strict security arrangements in and around the book fair venue to avert any unpleasant incident during the fair.
