Amid publications of a lot of novels, poetry and short stories, some new research books have shone light at the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela, although they are very few in numbers.
Stall attendants say those interested in research books, students and teachers can find them easily and buy them at a discount of 25% at the fair. They have so far sold a reasonable number of such books.
The fair, yesterday on its ninth day, welcomed new arrivals of six research books, totalling the number of books in this genre to be 28. The total number of all new arrivals at the book fair since its beginning is 1,139.
Among others, there is a research work compilation “New Light on the History of Ancient South-East Bengal” written by Shariful Islam and brought out Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
The preface of the book reads: “It provides many unknown facts of chronological dynastic history of ancient southeast Bengal.”
The author further wrote about his work: “While I was studying ancient Bengal, it appeared to me that southeast Bengal formed a separate political and cultural entity from very early times. The ancient history of this area is now the core territory of independent Bangladesh.”
Sheikh Abdus Sohrab, a junior operator at Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, said they were attending the fair mainly to introduce their publications and inspire researchers.
“Among others, Statistical Pocketbook Bangladesh 2013 and Statistical Yearbook Bangladesh 2013 are mainly being sold,” he said.
Mahmudur Rahman, an attendant at the stall of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), told this correspondent: “Basically, college-university students, teachers and researchers come here most. They have interest in this field and appreciate the new work coming out.”
One of BIDS’ newcomers at the fair is “Regional Inequality in Bangladesh in the 2000s: Re-visiting the East-West Divide Debate.”
Tareq Ahmed, an attendant at the stall of Transparency International Bangladesh, said: “It’s been observed that recent research publications have attracted students, teachers, and researchers most.”
Shoeb Siddiqi, an attendant at the stall of Center for Policy Dialogue told this correspondent: “Books by Rehman Sobhan and Fahmida Khatun are the ones being sold most, and its readers tend to be critical thinkers.”
Despite the ongoing hartal, the fair spirit was high yesterday, after a dull two days which had seen a fall in sales and fewer visitors.
