Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the month-long “Amar Ekushey Book Fair” at its traditional Bangla Academy grounds and on a part of Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital at 4:30pm on Saturday.
The government is trying to establish Bangladesh as a peaful country of South Asia, the PM said in her inaugural speech.
Hasina also said the government has taken initiative so that the UNited Nations will make Bengali as its one of the official languages.
All the masterpieces of Bengali Literature will be translated and would be spread out around the world.
Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor also addressed the programme as a special guest.
Bangla Academy Director General Shamuzzaman Khan delivered the welcome address while Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman, chairman of the academy, is chairing the programme.
The 31st Amar Ekushey Book Fair is dedicated to recently deceased Habibur Rahman, former chief justice, and chief adviser of the country's first caretaker government.Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television broadcast the inauguration ceremony live.
The Bangla Academy Literary Award 2013 was awarded to 11 personalities at the inaugural session whose names were announced Thursday.
Internationally celebrated Bangladeshi mime artiste Partha Pratim Majumder was awarded with an honorary fellowship of Bangla Academy on the occasion.
Late Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman, who is also a language movement hero, was paid respect at the programme.
Later in the fair “Chhittaranjan Saha Smrity Purashkar” and “Munier Chowdhury Smrity Purashkar” was awarded to the best publishers for quality publications of last year.
This year, as part of new arrangements, the government sponsored publications have set up their stalls inside the Bangla Academy premises, while all the private publishing houses will operate at the adjacent Suhrawardy Udyan.
The organisers this year are hoping for an increased number of participating publishers due to the extension of the fair.
Security has been beefed up at both the grounds, and proper arrangements for sanitation and drinking water has been made for the visitors, Director General of the academy Shamsuzzaman Khan said.
The book fair will remain open from 3pm to 9pm every day and from 11am to 9pm on holidays.
On February 21, the International Mother Language Day and Martyrs’ Day, the fair will remain open from 8am to 9pm.
The academy will provide 30% discount while other publishers would provide 25% discount on the prices of books. Wi-Fi facilities will be available at the fair.
According to the organisers, 534 stalls have been allocated to 232 publishing houses at the Suhrawardy Udyan, among which 33 stalls will hold children books of 24 publishing houses. As many as 69 stalls will hold books of 43 other publishing houses on the academy premises.
A little magazine corner with 55 publishing houses has been set up at the academy premises in memory of late poet Khondokar Ashraf Hossain, vice-chancellor of Jatiya Kabi Nazrul Islam University in Mymensingh and former professor of Dhaka University.
Last year, the Bangla Academy premises held 274 institutions within the premises, creating a congested atmosphere for book lovers. This year should be different as Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor approved the proposal of extending the fair to Suhrawardy Udyan.
According to the Bangla Academy officials, a total of 299 publishing houses, government, non-government and socio-cultural organisations are participating in this year’s event.
The book fair was held for the first time in 1972 in an informal manner at the Bangla Academy premises. Later, it was institutionalised in 1978.Fair
In 1984, the fair was named as the Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela.