Several publishers at Amar Ekushey Boi Mela 2016 have complained of some book stalls showcasing and selling pirated books, breaching the fair guidelines.
The Academic and Creative Publishers’ Association of Bangladesh (ACPAB) sent a letter to Bangla Academy Director General Shamsuzzaman Khan in this regard on Sunday, the association’s President Osman Gani told reporters yesterday.
The association also claimed that the errant stalls were also housing works of some Indian writers, which is also against the fair guidelines.
According to the book fair guidelines, only books written, edited and translated by Bangladeshi writers and published from Bangladesh are allowed to be showcased and sold at Ekushey Boi Mela.
“We hope the authorities will take steps immediately to resolve this issue,” Gani said.
However, when contacted, Shamsuzzaman said he had yet to see the letter in question.
“I have been receiving letters of complaint from the publishers since Day 1 of the fair. Why don’t they [the publishers] take the responsibility of arranging this fair?”
The letter states that a number of stalls alloted to NGOs on the Bangla Academy premises have been selling pirated books.
Meanwhile, going around the stalls yesterday, this correspondent found the books written by Samaresh Majumdar, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Sheershendu Mukherjee and other Indian writers on display at the stalls of Abishkar Publications and Jyotsna Publishers in Suhrawardy Udyan.
However, when confronted, Abishkar’s publisher Delwar Hasan and Jyotsna’s proprietor Swapan Kumar Datta claimed that had the authorisation to sell the books of those writers.
“If we are not supposed to sell books of Indian writers, how come writings of Rabindranath Tagore and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay have been sold here over the years,” Delwar asked.
Jalal Ahmed, secretary of the book fair committee, said those two writers were exception to the rule. “Their works are classics, which is why we allow them at the fair.”
The publishers also complained about inadequate lighting in some areas on the fairgrounds, crisis of drinking water, and excessive dust at the fair.
Security beefed up after arson attempt
Following the failed arson attack on the stall of Platform Publications on Monday, the book fair authorities have increased security around the stall as well as the fair entrances.
Authorities were seen setting more poles to set up more lights and CCTV cameras behind Platform’s stall around 3:30pm yesterday.
Police are investigating the incident, but no has been arrested in this connection yet, Shahbagh police station OC Abu Bakar Siddique told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday evening.
Terming the incident dangerous, Adorn Publications publisher Syed Jakir Hossain said: “Incidents like that can happen any time. We should keep our eyes open to cooperate with the law enforcement agencies.”
Book fair committee Secretary Jalal Ahmed said: “We are prepared to tackle any problem that may arise.”