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Published : 01 Feb 2025, 05:25 AM
Suhrawardy Udyan and the premises of Bangla Academy have been adorned in a striking palette of red, black, and white - a symbolic gesture invoking revolution, mourning, and hope.
On Saturday, Feb 1, 2025, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair will open its doors to the public, six months after the nation's political landscape was irrevocably altered by a mass movement.
The inauguration of the book fair will be dedicated to honouring the fallen heroes of the July Uprising, 1952 language martyrs, activists and the brave individuals who fought during the Liberation War.
This year, the number of participating publishing houses has surged, growing by over a hundred, and the scale of the fair has also expanded.
A notable addition this year is the ‘July Chattar,’ a memorial designed to commemorate the July Uprising.
On Saturday afternoon, Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor to the interim government, will formally inaugurate the fair, setting the stage for a month-long celebration of literature and history.
This year's event, which spans the entirety of the month of February, is themed "July Mass Uprising: Building a New Bangladesh”.
A visit to the fairgrounds on Friday revealed that while the stall structures had been set up, workers from various publishing houses were still in the midst of finalising last-minute details, including painting and assembling book racks. The sound of hammers and nails echoed throughout the site, signaling the frantic pace of preparations.
Despite repeated appeals from the Bangla Academy, the fair's organising body, urging publishers to complete their tasks swiftly, many have yet to wrap up their work. In addition to overseeing these preparations, Bangla Academy officials and staff are also fully engaged in coordinating the opening ceremony of the book fair, adding to their already demanding responsibilities.
Publishers have expressed that they are juggling a hectic schedule, simultaneously occupied with printing books while setting up their stalls at the fairgrounds. The overwhelming workload has left them with little time to pause, as they rush between tasks. Employees from various publishing houses are sprinting from the presses in Kantabon and Banglabazar to the fairgrounds at Suhrawardy Udyan, fully immersed in the frenetic preparations as the event draws near.
Osman Gani, the owner of Agami Prakashani, told bdnews24.com: “In previous years, publishers were given their stalls a week or ten days in advance of the fair. This time, we received ours on the 22nd. When I visited the fairgrounds, I saw that many have already completed their work. I am hopeful that this year, the fair will be packed from the very first day.”
Oitijjhya, a prominent publishing house, reported the publication of more than 200 books across 52 subjects this year, with 25 of those being debut works from new authors.
Dipankar Das, the owner of Baatighar, a publishing and book marketing centrr, expressed optimism about this year's fair, stating: “Overall, I think it will be a successful event. Most of our books have been printed. We will be bringing around 60 new books, with more than 25 of them already completed.”
BOOK FAIR TIMINGS
Every evening at 4pm, the book fair will host seminars and cultural programs on the main stage. Additionally, every Friday and Saturday, with the exception of Feb 8 and Feb 15, there will be a "Child Hour" (ShishuProhor) at the fair from 11am to 1pm.
In celebration of Amar Ekushey, there will be drawing, recitation, and music competitions for children and teenagers. New book unveilings will also take place in the fair premises.
The fair will be open from Feb 1 to Feb 28, from 3pm to 9pm daily, except on holidays. No one will be permitted to enter the premises after 8:30pm.
On holidays, the fair will operate from 11am to 9pm. On Feb 21, Martyrs' Day and International Mother Language Day, the fair will open at 8am and close at 9pm.
DMP’S DIRECTIVES
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police, or DMP, has issued several instructions in light of the upcoming book fair. Due to the event, certain roads in and around the Bangla Academy, Suhrawardy Udyan, and neighbouring areas will either be closed or subject to diversions.
Key diversion points include the TSC/Raju Sculpture crossing, Mausoleum of Three Leaders, and Hakim Chattar.
Parking will be available at Suhrawardy Udyan, the Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall field, in front of the Central Shaheed Minar, Fuller Road (one lane), and the Dhaka University Gymnasium ground.
For those driving to the fair, visitors coming from Shahbagh via TSC should disembark in front of the TSC entry gate and make a U-turn at Raju Sculpture to reach the parking or their destination related to the fair.
Those coming from Nilkhet/VC Bungalow crossing via TSC will enter on foot at Hakim Chattar, make a U-turn, and then turn right to access parking or their destination.
Visitors arriving by car from High Court and Shahidullah Hall crossing via Doel Chattar towards Bangla Academy will disembark at the Mausoleum of Three Leaders and make a U-turn to reach their parking or destination.
