Ensuring security in Amar Ekushey Boi Mela has always been challenging, but this year it is going to be the most challenging issue, said Shamsuzzaman Khan, director-general at Bangla Academy.
Referring to the murders of writer Abhijit Roy outside the book fair venue last year and his publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan in his office a few months ago, Shamsuzzaman said the fair authorities are going to keep some particular spots in the fair area under special vigilance to ensure security.
“The law enforcement agency will keep an eye on the security of the fair. We have to be careful as well,” he said at a press conference in Bangla Academy yesterday afternoon.
He said this year’s arrangement for the book fair is the largest and grandest in the fair’s history.
The month-long fair, the biggest of its kind in the country, is set to start tomorrow.
An elaborate arrangement has been adopted by the fair authorities this year to ensure tight security in and around the fair grounds, with CCTV cameras and special law enforcement units deployed in strategic points, sources said.
Speaking at the press conference, Dr Jalil Ahmed, secretary of the book fair committee, said this year the fair’s theme is based on the 60th anniversary of Bangla Academy.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the fair at 3pm tomorrow, after which she will distribute the Bangla Academy Literary Award 2015 to its winners in different categories.
From the second day of the fair, a seminar will take place every day on different issues including contemporary literatures and the history and research work of Bangla Academy.
On the third day of the fair, an international poetry festival will take place at Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Auditorium of Bangla Academy, featuring a wide range of poets from home and abroad.
With 15 pavilions for 15 publication houses including Bangla Academy, a total of 417 publication houses and institutions are taking part in the fair this year.
Government and non-government organisations as well as media houses have been alloted stalls in the Bangla Academy premises. The fair ground in Suhrawardy Udyan has been divided into 15 zones and will have at least one pavilion, several stalls and open space. The zones have been named after language movement veterans and writers.
All the preparations for the fair will be complete by today, Jalal said.
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The fair will remain open from 3pm to 8pm on weekdays, 11am to 8pm on weekends and 8am to 8pm on February 21.
