FEBRUARY comes here with colorful festivities for the jovial Bangladeshis and certainly Ekushey Book Fair is the center of all cheers. Since the inception of ‘gathering of million hearts’, the book fair over the decades has been getting more and more assiduously colorful diversity. The iconic book fair of the nation with the ever increasing magnificence and majesty has been grabbing the attention of million minds and hearts in arts and culture. But sometimes, a dark cloud hovers over the symbol of national integration due to shortcomings of security measures and outrageous attacks by fundamentalists. The last year book fair witnessed the horrified attack on a “free-thinker” and writer, who later succumbed to death, and the celebration rally of Bengali New Year was also mired in molestation that demands special security attention.
As per media reports, Bangla Academy has taken all-out measures to prevent any untoward incident as the month-long festivity is taking place amid a challenge of ensuring security. Security experts fear militants may become active to flaunt their strength disguising huge gatherings. In the premises of the fair, writer Avijit Roy and Prof Humayun Azad were attacked and killed last year and 2004 respectively. We must say that life is precious; it matters for all, not to a few. So security must be ensured to all, escort to few notables or powerful persons is not what may make all safe and feel free from militants’ hands. We all know crimes have grown manifold, outfit groups have money to engineer sabotage and what is awful is that nobody bothers when somebody falls victims. So all-out security measures and vigilance need to be at work inside the fair ground and outside so that any attackers can’t run away from security nets. There can’t be any recurrence of bloody incidents of last year’s.
Director of Bangla Academy has briefed newsmen that as many as 200 CCTV cameras and several watchtowers have been setup for proper monitoring of the area to avoid any untoward incident. He suggested writers and other intellectuals to remain careful while moving outside the fair. But, book publishers are not fully confident upon the assurances from Bangla Academy and law enforcing agencies. Citing the last year incident “an experience”, the city police chief confirmed that law enforcers this year have taken additional measures to ensure adequate security in and around the fair.
It is noteworthy that harsh security measures may also decrease the mood of the festival and fade out its brilliant colors. The law enforcers should also be vigilant to fending off molestation and harassment in the book fair. This year the diamond jubilee celebrations of Bangla Academy will hopefully add a new color to the fair. We think the law enforcers must take the challenge to conclude the book fair successfully.
