Tens of thousands of visitors crowded the Amar Ekushey Book Fair at Bangla Academy and Suhrawardy Udyan on Saturday, the 22nd day. As Saturday was especially for the children, they outnumbered their elders at the Bangla Academy premises. The children stayed from 11am to 3pm. The academy authorities arranged a ‘Shishu Kishor Sangit’ competition on the main podium of the fair. Thirty children took part in the competition. The prize giving ceremony of the competition will be held on February 28. Kallyani Goash, Sujit Mostafa and Mahmud Salim were the judges. Sushmita Biswas, a competitor, said that she was expecting a prize. Rifat Hossain, another competitor, told The New Nation that he was delighted to take part in trhe competition. Sujit Mostafa, a judge of the competition, said, education has two parts. One is academic activities and another is extra-curriculum activities. Both are important. It is good news that the Bangla Academy took the initiatives of holding competitions for the children. Shishu Kishor Sangit competition is one of them. The academy deserves appreciation. Meanwhile, the visitors expressed dissatisfaction as the maintenance system in and around the fair were not good. The visitors could not move easily inside the fair due to dusty environment. Ahmed Shafique, who comes from Mohammadpur, said, It was very difficult to enter the fair due to dust. It was apparently dust storm inside the fair. He alleged that the authorities did not take any measures to ensure a healthy environment, he said. Director General of Bangla Academy Professor Shamsuzzaman Khan admitted it and said that they would take steps for friendly environment in the coming days. One hundred and sixty new books landed on the 22nd day of the fair. Some of the new books are Hitler by Dewan Mehedi Ajoy, Na Bola Kotha by Z Alam, Hajar Bochhorer Rin by Lobna Hasem, Fire Jay Kath Thokra by Salim Hossain, Bhalobasha Mane Drupodi Jol by Sohel Mahruf, Jamalpur Subsectore Muktijoddho by Abdul Basir, Quantum Bhalobasha by Prodip Deb, Madhya Saroter Ruposhi and Ultopother Jatri by Delwar Hossain, Udasin Pathiker Moner Kotha by Mir Mosharraf Hossain, Bachai Kobita by Jakir Abu Jafar, Shamoyer Dabi by MH Apurba, Jokhon Bishad Chueche by Nahar Bakul and Akaki Nirjone by Abdur Razzak. Twenty books were unveiled at the Nazrul Mancha yesterday. A discussion on “Revarand KrishnaMohan Bandapadyai” was held in the main stage of the fair yesterday. Professor Abul Ahsan Chowdhury presided over the discussion while Professor Golam Mostafa and Partha Sen Gupta presented two keynote papers. Aniruddha Kahali, Dibyaduti Sarker and Mohammad Azam took part in the discussions. A fascinating cultural programme was held in the evening on the Bangla Academy premises enjoyed by hundreds of people from all ages. Discussion on ‘Professor Abdul Hafiz’ will be held on the main podium of the fair today. Director General of Bangla Academy Professor Shamsuzzaman Khan will preside at the programme while Salina Hossain will present the keynote paper. Tasikul Islam Raza, Shahida Khatun and Mostafa Tariqul Hasan will be present as the discussants.
