Commencing almost 46 days after its scheduled time due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair-2021 is struggling to draw book buyers.
Publishers and sales personnel complained that people only roamed around the fair, but there were very few buyers.
However, people did not shy away from crowding the fair despite the pandemic being at its peak.
Though law enforcers only allowed visitors wearing masks and carrying hand sanitizers through the entry points, many were seen not wearing masks or maintaining proper hygiene.
Member Secretary of the fair organizing committee Md Jalal Ahmed and a director of Bangla Academy told this correspondent that volunteers were working at the fair premises raising public awareness about coronavirus safety measures.
He urged visitors to maintain strict hygiene guidelines issued by the health authorities.
Shishu Chattar, where children used to gather every year, was not installed this year to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Mazharul Islam, publisher of Anyaprokash, told Dhaka Tribune that his stall had a “No Mask, No Service” policy in place.
He thinks more people will visit the fair from next Friday, adding: “We are encouraged by seeing people’s interest regarding visiting the fair despite the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Md Robin, a sales executive of Genius Publications, on Saturday said: “Although today is a weekly holiday, we are yet to see the expected number of booklovers. Those who are visiting today are only roaming around the fair premises, not buying books.”
He hopes to see more bibliophiles in the coming week as many new books targeting the book fair will have been published by then.
A total of 81 new books arrived at the fair on Saturday.
Bangla Academy has allocated space to 522 publication houses at the fair, comprising more than 800 stalls and 33 pavilions. This is almost double the space available in 2020.
Buyers will get 25% concessions on the price of books brought out by different publishing houses and organizations, and 30% on books by Bangla Academy.
The fair is open to all from 3pm to 9pm from Sunday to Thursday, but on weekends and public holidays, the fair will remain open from 11am to 9pm.
Commemorating the historic Language Movement of February 1952, Bangla Academy organizes the book fair at its premises every year.
However, multiple structures including stalls were found under construction even two days after the inauguration of the fair by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as a few publishers are still taking last minute preparations decorating their stalls.
Last year, a separate pavilion named Bangabandhu Corner was set up at the fair to mark the birth centenary of Bangabandhu, but this year such an initiative was not there amid the extended birth centenary celebrations of the Father of the Nation.
The fair organizing committee said it was focusing on the combined theme of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence and Bangabandhu’s role in the liberation of the country.
Md Jalal Ahmed said: “We have decorated the historic Independence Monument at Suhrawardy Uddyan to mark the golden jubilee of independence and Bangabandhu’s birth centenary.”
