Hague freedom book fair begins Friday

A four-day book fair titled “The Hague Freedom Book Fair” is going to begin from Friday at the Nutshuis, The Hague, with the participation of publishers from different parts of the world including Bangladesh. Mukto-Mona, a blogging platform founded by slain secularist writer Avijit Roy, and The Hague Peace Projects are jointly hosting the fair in solidarity with those who are putting their lives for freedom of expression. The fair is the continuation of “Bangladesh Alternative Book Fair” organised in February 2016 at Humanity House in The Hague in memory of Avijit Roy and other Bangladeshi writers and free thinkers who got killed in 2015. There will also be panel discussions on freedom of expression in Bangladesh, freedom of expression regarding LGBT movements in the Muslim world, and also on the overall situation of freedom of expression around the world. Avijit’s wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya, now the editor of Mukto-Mona blog, human rights activist Sultana Kamal, Istishon blog founder, editor and blogger Nur Nobi Dulal, and activist, film maker Nasrin Siraj will participate in the discussion on freedom of expression in Bangladesh. Shuddho-Shor, Shrabon, Angkur, University Press Limited and Adarsha Publications from Bangladesh are going to participate in the fair.