Published: 04:52 AM, 31 January 2023
PM to open Ekushey Book Fair on Feb 1
Ahead of Ekushey Book Fair, the last-minute preparations are going on at the venue in capital's Bangla Academy area. The photo was taken on Monday. -Md Mostafijur Rahman, AA
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the traditional Amar Ekushey Book Fair-2023 on Bangla Academy and Suhrawardy Udyan premises on its traditional date of the first day of February this year after a three-year interval.
"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to open the book fair on February 1 at 3 pm," "Bangla Academy director general poet Mohammad Nurul Huda told a press conference at Bangla Academy on Monday, BSS reports.
Besides, the Premier will also hand over the prizes among the recipients of the Bangla Academy Literary Award-2022 along with unwrapping seven books, published by the Bangla Academy, Nurul Huda added.
Bangla Academy President writer Selina Hossain will preside over the inaugural function while Bangla Academy director general poet Mohammad Nurul Huda will deliver the welcome speech.
The theme of this year's book fair has been fixed "Paro Bai, Garo Desh: Bangabandhu Bangladesh (Read Book build country: Bangabandhu's Bangladesh).
Bangla Academy Secretary (Joint Secretary) A H M Lokman, Chief Marketing Officer of bKash Mir Nawbut Ali and Managing Director of Cross Work M A Maruf also addressed the press conference.
In 2020, the traditional book fair began on February 2 due to elections to the two Dhaka city corporations while the fair was differed till March 18 in 2021 and February 15 in 2022 due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
The book fair will remain open for all from 3 pm to 9 pm on working days and 11:00 am to 9 pm on public holidays with a one-hour break for lunch and prayers, said Dr KM Muzahidul Islam, Member Secretary of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair Committee.
A total of 901 stalls have been allocated to 601 organizations. The authorities have allotted 165 stalls to 112 organizations for the Bangla Academy ground and 736 stalls to 489 organizations for the Suhrawardy Udyan.
Moreover, a total of 38 pavilions have been allocated this year. Last year, a total of 774 stalls were allocated in favour of 534 organizations. Apart from this, there will be 153 stalls at Little Magazine Chattar, which were 127 in 2022, 140 in 2021 and 155 in 2020.
