The month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair underway in Dhaka has always been a place for book lovers, publishers, writers and enthusiasts, but it is also a place of gathering, especially for young people.
Visitors say though sometimes their goal is not to buy books, they absorb much from the atmosphere and the various cultural and literary events going on at the fair. Meeting favourite writers is also a key attraction for many.
People, particularly youths from different neighbourhoods and educational institutions come in groups to exchange books as gifts, visit various stalls and join conversations on different issues on contemporary literature.
During a visit to the fair yesterday, this reporter found young students coming in groups. Not all of them were buying books. Some were visiting the fair wearing colored saris and panjabis printed with Bangla text.
Liza Khanom came to the book fair with her friends - all second year students of Dhaka University.
“Like last year, I made plans to spend this month at the fair. Even if I cannot buy books regularly, I will visit every day for sure as it is inside my campus,” said Liza.
“We can get books, we can hang out and chat and we can learn about contemporary literature, making this a favourite place for us,” she said.
Visitors at Amar Ekushey Book Fair soaking up the atmosphere as the roam through the stalls | Rajib Dhar/Dhaka Tribune
According to publishers and staff working at different book stalls, sales remain sluggish in the first week of the fair, but the volume of visitors remained quite high.
Many visitors do not buy books, but they hang out in groups, eat at the food stalls and take selfies with each other considering the fair venue as a place for rendezvous.
Minhaz Hassan came to the book fair to buy a romantic novel book for his near and dear ones.
“Since the first few days are not that crowded, I came here easily and I found my favourite books. I usually gift at least a book to my loved ones every year from the book fair,” he said.
Schoolgirl Nabila Jaman and her six friends came in search of their favourite writer Anisul Haque.
Nabila said she did not know if writer Anisul had released any book at the fair, but if there is one, she would be sure to take a selfie with the book at the fair.
“My parents never stop me from coming to the fair in February. I always get pictures with my favourite writers,” she said.