Book fair in bangladesh

 Ekushey Boi Mela is the national book fair of Bangladesh. It is arranged each year by Bangla Academy and take place for whole month of February in Dhaka. This event is dedicated to the martyrs who died on 21 February 1952 in a demonstration calling for the establishment of Bengalia as one of the state languages of former united Pakistan.

History:

Ekushey Book Fair ground as seen in 2011

Muktodhara Publishing house started a little sale in front of Bangla Academy in the 21 February 1972, the Shaheed Day, later International Mother Language Day. Chittaranjan Saha of Muktodhara took the initiative. Later, other book publishers joined unofficially. Gradually it became official and the most popular book fair of Bangladesh.

Bangla Academy took over organization of the fair in 1978. In 1984 it was named Amar Ekushey Book Fair.  Notably, in 1990s, another national book fair called Dhaka Boi Mela was initiated. This book fair is organized by government in February every year.

Boi Mela started merely as a book fair, it has evolved into a national cultural festival reflecting the cultural spirit of the modern Bengali nation.  In addition to book sales, Bangla Academy organizes literary and cultural events every day. Thousands of people gather to purchase books and to spend time in the company of books and their authors with a patriotic zeal. There is no entry fee. Publishers of Bangladesh take year-long preparation to publish a huge number of books during this month. Profit is not the consideration.

In 2008, 362 book stalls were set up by publishers, book sellers and such other organization including Bangla Academy and Nazrul Institute.  The venue of the book festival and outside is decorated with banners, festoons and placards in conformity with the spirit of Amar Ekushey. The fair venue is free from smoking and polythene.  It is the cultural reunion of Bangladesh where nearly every writing-related person comes. Attracted by discounted price (25%), readers rush there. Given the importance, generally head of government inaugurates the fair on the first day of February. TV stations live broadcast the inaugural ceremony.  

Description :

Several years ago the fair used to hold regularly from the first to 21st February. But after the demand of Buyer, visitors and sellers the fair holds until the last day of February. As leap year comes after every four years, so on that year the book far ends on 29th of February. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Government of Bangladesh controls the fair. The publisher’s stools were divided into the Publisher’s area, Publisher-Seller area, Child Corner, Governmental and Non-Governmental Institutions and Little Magazine. Besides the fair is divided in the name of language martyrs Rafiq, Salam, Jabbar, Shafiur, Barkat, Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Dr. Muhammad Sahidullah, Abdul Karim and some other literary scholars. Not only the renowned publishers of the country, but also the booksellers of different countries like India, Russia, Japan and some other country’s publishers participates in the fair with their books. Many Governmental Institutions of Government of Bangladesh like Bangladesh Tourism Board, the Bangladesh Archeology Department and some others participate in the fair with stalls. Some Non-Governmental Social Institutions also participate in the fair. Nowadays some digital publications such as CD, VCD takes place in the fair. Besides, many mobile operator companies come into the Fair with the description of their services. Little Magazines took popularity in the fair. There is access to using Internet and Fax in the media center of the fair. Besides, there are Author’s Corner, and information center. Fair premises are smoking and pollution free. There is 20-25% discount on the book of the fair. There is a task force to maintain the educational and safe environment, they investigate and take immediate step if anyone violate the Copyright or Patent law.

Structure:

Usually, the fair continues from 1 February to the 28th. It is limited only in Bangla Academy's boundary. The Ministry of Culture is in control of the fair while the Academy does the groundwork. Usually the Prime Minister (or the Chief Adviser in case of Caretaker government) inaugurates the fair. Between 300 and 400 publishing houses takes part. Only the Bangladeshi booksellers can join who have at least 25 books of their own.

There is Nazrul Manch, a corner dedicated to poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, a fixed place for month-long cultural meetings, a Lekhok Kunjo, a dedicated place for writers and, a media center for the journalists. Nowadays it became harder to accommodate the huge crowd and the increasing number of publishers. In 2008, the theme of daily conference was 'Bengali Literature and Culture - Achievement of three decades'.

...Ekushey Book Fair (Amar Ekusehy Grantha Mela) is national Book Fair of Bangladesh. It is arranged and organized by Bangla Academy and duration of the book fair is whole month of February. It is held in Bangla Academy Area, Dhaka (Near TSC, Dhaka Univery). From 2014 the fair is expanded in Shurayardi Uddan and road side of Bangla Academy. The fair is also popular as Ekusey Boi Mela. The book fair is memories of immortals of 21st February 1952. Now it is not only a book fair but also a culture of Bangladesh. The book fair and event is dedicated to language martyrs who died in 21st February 1952 for establish mother language, Bengali. Now the fair's officially name is "Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela"

Ekushey Boi Mela 2008 :

Ekushey Boi Mela 2008 was held from 1 to 29 February 2008. As many as 288 publishers participated. A record number of books were published on the occasion. According to official statistics, the number of books published in connection with the book fair was 2578. The sale proceeds from books sold shot up to a record of Taka 200 million.^.

Amar Ekushey Boi Mela 2015.

But the highlight of the day was the publishers getting together to protest the murder of secularist writer and blogger Avijit Roy, who was hacked to death on Thursday night.

The last day of the fair began an hour earlier as part of the protest, and the protesters demanded immediate arrest of Avijit’s killers.

“We urge the government to immediately arrest the attackers and call upon the publishers to stand together for the sake of the freedom of expression,” said Robin Ahsan, owner of Srabon Prakashani.

Later, Srabon Prakashani, Jagriti Prakashani, Nandonik and online book shop Porua kept the shutter of their stalls down for 10 minutes – from 4:05pm to 4:15pm – in protest of Avijit’s murder.

The concluding ceremony took place in the evening at the main stage on the premises of Bangla Academy. Presided over by Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman, chairman of Bangla Academy, the programme was also addressed by Bangla Academy Director General Shamsuzzaman Khan and Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, who was chief guest at the event.

Blockade, hartal mar book sales this year

The book sales were not impressive this year as attendance of visitors was quite low due to the ongoing nationwide blockade and hartal imposed by the BNP-led 20-party alliance.

Throughout the fair, publishers and stall attendants expressed concern that they were going to suffer loss as the volume of sales was far less than expected.

However, the number of visitors and book sales increased in the last days of the fair. Also, there were several special occasions in February when the fair experienced a significant rise in sales.

Yet, frustrated by the overall poor sales, the Academic and Creative Publishers’ Association of Bangladesh held a press conference on Thursday where they demanded the fair be extended for a week to recover the loss.

But the fair authorities refused to extend the event, citing monetary and security issues.

On the other hand, this year the fair saw a record number of new arrivals; around 3,700 new books were released throughout the fair – highest in 10 years, according to sources at Bangla Academy.

A book fair is a special type of fair where books are the main attraction for all class of people. And the main thing about a book fair is not sale but display of books on different subjects by different writers. Now- a- days a book fair has become very popular. It has created a sense of interest for books amongst the general mass. Normally it is held in a field or premises. Recently I got an opportunity to visit a book fair. It was originated by Bangla Academy. Hundreds of pavilions were set up. There were a huge number of book on miscellaneous subject of different age. All sorts of books- fictions, text books, dramas, children books, reference books, novels etc were displayed. I purchased some books of my own choice. Some stalls were also found to sell snacks and cigarettes and thus to pollute the premises. I took some refreshment here. A book fair becomes crowdie especially in the evening. Both male and female customers gather at a book fair. The writers also visit the fair regularly. Seminars and cultural programmers are also held. A book fair reminds us that books are our best companions. They are always our sides when we are in danger. The change our outlook on life and widens our domain of knowledge. It is books which help us to forget jealousy, malice and superstition. Again we get these best friends at a cheaper rate from a book fair. Many novice writers can start their career from a book fair. It was a pleasant experience for me and I think a book fair is very important for the enlighten section of people. So, it should be organized more and more for the betterment of our future life.

The story relating to the beginning of the Immortal Ekushe Book Fair at Bangla Academy is fascinating. Ekushe comes from Ekush, a Bangla word meaning 21. Ekushe literally means the twenty-first day. Historically Ekushe means the twenty-first day of February in the year of 1952. This day is a landmark in the history of Bangladesh as it symbolizes the climax of the Language Movement that gave birth to Bengali nationalism.  Ekushe February came to be known as the Martyrs’ Day because a number of people including students were killed when the students demonstrated in support of Bangla as one of the state languages of Pakistan on 21 February 1952. Poems and patriotic songs were written in memory of the day. The nationalists propagate

A positive outcome of the Language Movement was the establishment of Bangla Academy on 3 December 1955. Bengali nationalism was the product of a deep-rooted cultural force in which language played a decisive role. Bengali nationalism, striking at the root of religious fanaticism, created a favorable climate for communal harmony and peace in East Pakistan and eventually accounted for the birth of Bangladesh in 1971.

The year following the emergence of Bangladesh was marked by an exhilarating cultural awakening among the conscious citizens of the country. The year 1972 was, therefore, historic and breathtaking for Bangladesh. A book fair on the occasion of 21 February surfaced at the premises of Bangla Academy, and this event was an eye-opener for Bangla Academy. 

Bangla Academy alone organized a book fair for the first time in February 1973, and it coincided with the program of Ekushe. Since then this book fair has become one of the most noticeable expressions of the post-1971 cultural awakening. 

Some private publishers set up stalls at the Bangla Academy’s ground in February 1974 and again in 1975. Having seen the prospects of selling and popularizing their publications at the open space of the Academy on the occasion of the month-long celebration of immortal Ekushe, more and more publishers thronged there in the next two years.

The year 1978 was significant for Bangla Academy. The Academy formally declared that it would sponsor a book fair and permit the publishers to set up their stalls in the earmarked areas. The number of publishers was 30 in 1980. Since 1984 the book fair has become known as the Immortal Ekushe Book Fair. The number of publishers rose to 82 in 1985, and this number reached a dizzying height of 190 in 1991.

The Immortal Ekushe Book Fair wore a different look in 1992 when its scope and size took an enormous shape. The number of participating organizations including publishers rose to 270. In order to extend the Immortal Ekushe Book Fair, the Academy opened a wider gate by demolishing a part of its eastern wall. In addition to the stalls installed within the premises of the Academy, smaller stalls were set up on either side of the street. In 1993, the wider space accommodated 484 stalls owned by 338 participating organizations. Since then the Immortal Ekushe Book Fair has consistently maintained its amazing look and vastness with more and more publishers being interested in participation and with even more and people assembling each year. There is no entry fee. The entire venue is free from smoking and polythene.  The participating publishers take year-long preparation to publish a huge number of books for sale during the month of February at the Bangla Academy premises. The venue is decorated with banners, festoons and placards in conformity with the spirit of Amar Ekushe. It is, in fact, the cultural reunion of book lovers, writers, literatures and scholars. Attracted by discount (25%), book lovers rush there.