Reports of record sales as book fair ends

The curtain has fallen on the Amar Ekushey Book Fair, the month-long event readers, writers and publishers wait for every year.

Fair organiser Bangla Academy announced its end on Monday evening.

 

According to the Academy, the number of new books published during the fair declined this year but the total sale almost doubled from last year’s turnover.

 

A total of 3,444 books were brought out during the fair, as opposed to around 3,700 books last year.

 

Fair committee Member Secretary Jalal Ahmed told bdnews24.com that the combined sale stood at around Tk 400 million against last year’s figure of Tk 219.5 million.

 

He said the turnover in 2014 was Tk 160 million.

 

Several book enthusiasts said the heightened security this year made them feel at ease but many found it difficult to find out the stalls and pavilions they were looking for on the 478,000 square feet ground.

 

The Academy allotted pavilions and stalls to 401 publishing houses and other organisations.

 

There were 15 pavilions, 19 four-unit stalls, 37 three-unit stalls, 134 two-unit stalls and 196 single-unit stalls. 

 

Miscreants tried to torch a stall on the 22nd day of the fair despite tight security. Several stalls were damaged in a hailstorm two days later.

 

Comments made by publishers suggest science fictions by Muhammed Zafar Iqbal were the bestsellers at this year’s fair but nobody could give specific figures.

The stall of Anyaprokash, which has published most of his late brother Humayun Ahmed’s books, witnessed a huge rush of bookworms.

Other publishers of Zafar Iqbal’s books also spoke of good sales.

Among other books that sold well were Debabrata Mukhopadhyay’s ‘Mashrafe’, Anisul Hoque’s ‘General O Narira’, Harishankar Joldas’ ‘Eklabya’, Imdadul Haq Milon’s ‘Jindabahar’, Prof Muntasir Mamun’s ‘Dhakar Khal Pole O Nodir Chitrakar’, and Gultekin Khan’s ‘Ajo, Keu Hate Obiram’.

The fair’s closing ceremony took place at the main stage on the Academy premises on Monday evening.

Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor was the chief guest while Academy President Prof Anisuzzaman chaired the event.

Expatriate litterateur Manzu Islam and French researcher of Bangla language and literature France Bhattacharya were given the ‘Syed Waliullah Literary Award-2015’.

Several other awards, including ‘Munier Chowdhury Memorial Award’ to Nymphea Publication and Pathsutra, ‘Chittaranjan Saha Memorial Award’ to Mawla Brothers, and ‘Qayyum Chowdhury Memorial Award’ to Journeyman Books and Madhyma Publication, were also handed out at the programme.

The ceremony ended with a cultural show.