Outrage as Bangla Academy bans Shrabon Prokashani at Amar Ekushey Book Fair

The Bangla Academy has banned Shrabon Prokashani from the upcoming Amar Ekushey Book Fair, triggering howls of protests.

Robin Ahsan, owner of the publisher, says he came to know that his publishing house will not get any booth in the fair for the next two years when he was applying for a stall in the fair to be held in February 2017.

“But we did not get any notice,” he told bdnews24.com on Monday.

He believes the Academy took the decision because he had joined the movement for the release of Ba-Dwip Prakashani owner Shamshuzzaman Manik, who was arrested on charges of publishing a book, which was alleged to contain elements that might hurt religious sentiments.

“I had protested against the move and demanded his release in a television talk show and also at a human-chain programme,” Robin said.

Quoting Bangla Academy officials, he said the decision to ban his publishing house was taken in a meeting attended by Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor.

Bangla Academy Director Jalal Ahmed said: “They have been vocal against the banning of the controversial ‘Islam Bitorko’.”

“The matter was discussed at the council meeting on Nov 22 and their activities seem to be upsetting soundness of the fair. So they have been penalised in this way.”

Besides Shrabon Prokashani, five other publishing houses were also banned for five years for selling pirated books. They are Oikya Prokashani, Nilpori Prokashani, Ronginful Prokashani and Ba-Dwip Prokashani.

The Bangla Academy authorities shut down the stall of Ba-Dwip Prokashani last year being informed by police that it published a book ‘Islam Bitokro,’ which allegedly contains elements hurting religious sentiments.

Its owner Shamshuzzaman Manik was arrested later under the ICT Act.

An event, scheduled to be held in front of the Academy at 3:30pm on Tuesday, has been called on Facebook to protest against the ban.

On Robin’s page, one Shawgadul Rifat commented: “ah; diZ iZ called da state religion land.”

Abu Salehji called for boycott of Bangla Academy.

In another post, one Anadrita Arka condemned the Academy decision as ‘autocratic’.