MM Jasim :
Lion ANM Mizanur Rahman Patwary, owner of Mizan Publishers and Lovely Printers, is author of Kishore Kahiny published by NCTB, BCS Preliminary and various text and guidebooks. He started his publication business since 1979. So far, 1,200 books have been published from his publishing house. About 80 books will be published during the fair. He talked with The New Nation on various aspects of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair and the publication sector of the country at the fair venue yesterday.
Question: Was the decision of Bangla Academy authorities to expand the book fair to Suhrawardy Udyan this year pragmatic?
Mizanur Rahman: “We (publishers) had been demanding expansion of the vanue since 2000 for the comfort of the visitors and the buyers.
This year the Bangla Academy authorites responded to our demand. We congratulate them. It also helps the visitors move about the fair easily. We can also display our books for the buyers comfortably. Obviously, this is good decision. Now we are happy.”
Question: What difficulties do you face in the new place?
Mizanur Rahman: “There are several problems facing the book fair this year. The authorities have taken the decision to expand the fair in a short time. They could take more time. There is no canteen for visitors, writers and publishers. There is no room for the writers where they will exchange their views with visitors and publishers. No toilet has been built. Though the authorities expanded the fair area, they decreased the stall’s place. It was 8/8 feet last year whereas it is 8/6 this year. The Information Center run by the academy is not working properly. The officials of the center do not give any information to the visitors about the expanded place of the fair. I think the authorities should take initiatives to resolve the problems immediately.”
Question: How do you face the increase of paper price?
Mizanur Rahman: “The price of papers increases every year. Though, we do not face difficulties for the increase, the small publishing houses face troubles because they buy papers just before the beginning of the fair. So, they cannot publish any book as per of their previous plan.”
Question: do you feel discomfort for the multiple items in the fair?
Mizanur Rahman: Most of the stalls in the book fair are recognised. We are determined to provide quality books to the buyers because this is our business. But multiple book stalls outside the fair are sub-standard.
Question: What is your opinion about the printing law?
Mizanur Rahman: “The existing printing law is inadequate. It cannot give the offenders punitive punishment. So, piracy is going on. No action is taken against them. The government should take steps to strengthen the printing law immediately.”
Question: What is the basic difference between the Amar Ekushey Book Fair and the fair in the foreign countries?
Mizanur Rahman patwary: “We struggled against the Pakistani rulers for the recognition of Bengali as State language. The language heroes dedicated their lives So, the fair is imbued with the spirit of the Language Movement. But in other countries, business and profit are the targets. This is basic difference between the two.”
Question: What categories of writer’s books do you publish?
Mizanur Rahman patwary: I published many reputed writers’s books like National professor Kabir Chowdhury, Syed Shamsul Haque, Anisul Haque, Shamsur Rahman, Al Mahmud, Emdadul Haque Milon, Belal Chowdhury and Aslam Sani.
Question: Which age-group comes most and what category of books has the best sale?
Mizanur Rahman: The teenagers buy more books than by others. Novel and science fiction are the most favourite books.
Question: How will you treat the young publishers?
Mizanur Rahman patwary: “We always welcome the young publishers. Chitranjan Shaha who is our ideal man. We are working with the publishing sector now and trying to flourish it. Young publishers must be broad-minded to serve the nation. If they will be broad-minded they could flourish the sector.”
