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Published : 25 Jan 2026, 11:32 PM
Publishers have called for the Amar Ekushey Book Fair to be postponed until after Eid-ul-Fitr, instead of starting on post-election Feb 20 as decided earlier.
On Jan 19, 262 publishers wrote to the president of the Bangladesh Book Publishers and Sellers Association requesting a revision of the fair’s schedule.
Acting on that request, the association forwarded the proposal to the cultural advisor through Bangla Academy director general on Saturday.
The academy, however, said the Feb 20 start date had been fixed at a meeting with publisher representatives on Dec 17 and that preparations were now in full swing.
More than 500 publishing houses and other institutions have already applied to participate in the fair, with organisers saying at least 25 percent of the preparations have been completed.
Selim Reza, member-secretary of the fair management committee and secretary of Bangla Academy, told bdnews24.com: “We are continuing preparations to start the fair on the announced date.”
Publishers argue that holding the fair immediately after the election would expose them to financial losses and that the date must be reconsidered under the current circumstances.
Mahrukh Mohiuddin, a member of the fair committee and managing director of University Press Limited (UPL), said: “We certainly want the fair to be a worthy event reflecting the spirit of [Feb 21].
“But the reality now is that most printing presses are busy with election work. In many cases, no printing slots are available. Publishers simply do not have the time needed to publish books properly.
“Educational institutions will also close before Eid. It is uncertain how interested readers will be in buying books during Ramadan and ahead of Eid.
“This year is also different because an election is being held after almost two decades. Taking everything into account, the government should make the right decision.”
Mahbub Rahman, chief executive and proprietor of Adarsha Publishers, said: “If publishers believe that starting the fair from Feb 20 after the election is unrealistic, Bangla Academy should take that into account.
“Holding the fair after Eid would be more practical. Some argue that there may be storms or rain then, but that happens in February too. With proper preparation, weather should not be a problem.”
The parliamentary election will be held on Feb 12, before Ramadan begins.
Taking that into account, Bangla Academy had initially decided to move the fair forward to December, but later suspended the plan on Sep 28 following a proposal from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
After a meeting with the publishers’ association on Nov 2, Bangla Academy decided to hold the fair in February after the election, saying the exact dates would be announced once the election schedule was fixed.
The Election Commission announced on Dec 11 that the polls and referendum would be held on Feb 12, after which Bangla Academy confirmed the fair would begin on Feb 20.
