Publishers who paid stall fees for this year’s Amar Ekushey Book Fair before the decision to waive the charges, will receive refunds after Eid, according to the Bangla Academy.
The academy said the delay was due to insufficient time to complete the refund process before Eid. The announcement comes after many publishers expressed uncertainty about whether the payments would be returned.
Bangla Academy stated that publishers who had already paid the stall fees must submit an application to the academy’s public relations department. The application must include a written request along with a photocopy of the payment document as proof.
Director General of Bangla Academy Professor Dr Mohammad Azam told Dhaka Tribune that refunds could have been processed before Eid if there had been three to four working days available after the fair.
“After March 15, there are very few working days left. Publishers will receive their money after Eid,” he said.
Moin Faruk, publisher of Chandrabindu Prokashoni, said publishers would follow the government’s procedures.
“We have heard that refunds will be made after submitting applications. I have no doubt that we will get the money back, but I cannot say exactly when. Hopefully we will receive it after Eid,” he said.
Shahin Sikdar, manager of Mowla Brothers, said publishers were still uncertain about the timeline and process for receiving the refunds.
This year’s Amar Ekushey Book Fair did not begin on February 1 as usual due to the national election and referendum held on February 12 under the interim government. Instead, the fair started on February 25 and will conclude on Sunday, just before Eid.
According to Bangla Academy, a total of 3,299 new books were published at the 2025 fair, while only 1,337 new titles have been submitted for this year’s event—significantly fewer than last year.
