UNB, Dhaka :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday urged the concern quarters to present the best creations of Bangla language in the world arena through their translation in foreign languages.
“I request you to present the best creations of the Bangla language to the world through their translation,” she said, inaugurating the largest ever month-long Ekushey Book Fair at the Bangla Academy premises and on a part of Suhrawardy Udyan in the city.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that following the path shown by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she gives her speech in Bangla in the United Nations General Assembly every time.
She said that her government is trying to make Bangla as one of the official languages of the United Nations. “For this, we need your all out support.”
Emphasizing the use of modern technology in the publication industry of the country, the Prime Minister said that the government is very much sincere about the welfare of the writers and publishers.
In this regard, she said the government is formulating a book policy that will make publication easier.
She also said that in the ninth Parliament,
her government enacted a law, ‘Bangla Academy Act 2013’, to expand the working area of Bangla Academy.
Hasina said that as per her assurance, this time the book fair has been extended to a part of the historic Suhrawardy Udyan where the people of this country showed their rejection to Jinnah when he proposed making Urdu as the only state language of erstwhile Pakistan.
“At this Suhrawardy Udyan (formerly Race Course Maiden), Father of the Nation (Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) gave his historic March 7 speech (in 1971); Pakistani occupation force surrendered and Bangabandhu gave his maiden speech here in independent Bangladesh in 1972.
She said that with the expansion of the fair area, more publishing houses will be able to participate in this year’s book fair and their professionalism will increase. The book fair will spur the economic activities of the country.
The Prime Minister requested the writers and publishers to present more creative and in depth creations for enriching the whole nation.
She said that writers and publishers have a very important role in flourishing the thoughts of a nation. “They will also have to play more effective role to guide our new generations and make them more cultural minded.”
