Publishers and visitors at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair in the capital have been facing difficulties due to waterlogging following Friday’s rain. Publishers complained that water has accumulated in front of many stalls, making it difficult to place books on the ground.
On Saturday afternoon, visits to different parts of the fairground showed that rainwater from the previous evening was still standing in several areas. In particular, muddy water in front of some stalls has made movement difficult, disrupting the display and sale of books.
Several publishers said that because water has collected in front of their stalls, they are unable to place books on the ground. As a result, they have had to arrange the books on higher shelves, which reduces space inside the stalls and makes it harder to show books to visitors.
Visitors to the fair have also experienced inconvenience due to the waterlogging. Many are hesitant to approach stalls because of mud and standing water, and some stalls have consequently seen fewer customers.
Meanwhile, books at several stalls were found to have become wet, with some being laid out in the sun to dry.
Publishers claim that such problems arise because there is no quick system in place to drain water after rainfall.
