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Published : 14 Mar 2026, 09:45 PM
Sales at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair have touched a new low this year, with a publishers' collective reporting a staggering 80 percent decline compared with previous years.
At a press conference held Saturday at the Kabi Shamsur Rahman Seminar Hall of Bangla Academy, Publishers' Unity described the situation as more "deplorable" than even the 2021 fair held during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The organisation noted that while political and economic instability had already caused a 60 percent dip in sales in 2025 compared with 2024, this year’s figures represent a near-total collapse of the market.
Presenting the grim statistics, the unity claimed that nearly 90 percent of participating publishers failed to recover even their initial stall construction costs.
More alarmingly, approximately 30 percent of publishers reportedly struggled to sell even Tk 5,000 worth of books throughout the month-long event.
The written statement was presented by University Press Limited Managing Director Mahrukh Mohiuddin, Syed Zakir Hussain of Adorn Publication, and Mahabubur Rahman of Adarsha.
The leaders dismissed the official annual claims of Tk 300–400 million in sales as "sensationalised data" that lacks any basis in reality.
"Actual sales are significantly lower," the statement read.
Despite the current crisis, the publishers argued that in a nation of 180 million people, selling 5 to 10 million copies is not a "fantasy".
They suggested that with efficient management, coordinated initiatives, and a dedicated marketing budget of Tk 5–10 million, this goal could be achieved within the next three to five years.
"We participated out of a sense of responsibility to tradition," the statement said.
"But if sales continue to vanish and publishers are left destitute, this will eventually turn into a 'dead tradition'. This year's fair has been a harsh lesson for us," the publishers’ platform added in the statement.
