A reader skims through her newly purchased book at Bangla Academy on the fourth day of Amar Ekushey Boi Mela 2016 yesterday Photo:Mehedi Hasan
Publishers at Amar Ekushey Boi Mela 2016 are hoping to see a fruitful day as the fair enters its first weekend today.
The number of visitors has been increasing every day since the fair took off on February 1, but the publishers believe that the weekend will bring a larger crowd and the book sale will be impressive.
The fair will be open to visitors from 11am today, sources said.
Today is also the first day of Children’s Hour, scheduled to take place from 11am to 1pm every weekend throughout the fair.
“Two hours will be dedicated to our child visitors on Fridays and Saturdays until the last day of the fair,” said Dr Jalal Ahmed, member secretary of the book fair committee.
A children’s corner has been set up in Suhrawardy Udyan for this purpose, dedicated solely to children’s literature to cater to the little bookworms.
In addition, an art competition for children will be held at 8:30am, Jalal said.
Publishers hope this special attraction will bring in more visitors and make the fairground more lively, said several publishers.
The weekend effect was already visible last evening as there was a good number of bookworms roaming the fairground.
Mohammed Shahadat Hossain, publisher of Annesha Prakashan, said the flow of visitors this year is comparatively better than last year. “We are hoping for a good turnout this weekend.”
Visitors will need more time to find the stalls and pavilions they are looking this year because the fairground has been expanded, he added.
Avinu Kibria Islam, a teacher at Jessore University of Science and Technology, also commented on the expanded fair premises.
“It is taking more time than before to find the publishing house I am looking for,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
Rabiul Hossain, manager of Ahmed Publishing House, said: “We have seen a good turnout of visitors on the first four days. I hope it will be much better on Friday.”
At least 93 new books were published at the fair on the fourth day of the fair yesterday, taking the total number of new arrivals at 163.