The Rajshahi Divisional Book Fair has drawn growing crowds of book lovers, particularly students, as it enters its final days ahead of its conclusion, on Friday.
The fair, held at the Rajshahi Collectorate Ground, saw a lively turnout on Wednesday evening, with school and college students visiting in groups with friends.
Visitors browsed stalls, explored new releases and picked up books by their favourite authors. While some opted for science fiction and thrillers, others showed interest in classic literature and contemporary novels.
Tasin Tansim, a Class 10 student, said he visited the fair with friends to buy books before it ended.
"I had already shortlisted a few books and bought them today. I don't feel like leaving such a wonderful environment," he said.
Publishers and booksellers said visitor numbers and sales had picked up towards the end of the fair, although sales remained below expectations.
Mostafizur Rahman, a bookseller at Ekpi Prokashoni, said sales were almost non-existent during the first two or three days but had improved recently.
He expressed hope that visitor numbers and sales would increase further over the final two days.
Parents also visited the fair with their children, hoping to encourage reading habits.
Salma Khatun, who attended with her daughter, said children nowadays spend too much time on mobile phones.
She said she brought her daughter to the fair to help her develop an interest in books. Her daughter bought two storybooks of her choice.
The fair has also become a social gathering place for young visitors. College student Sanjida Akter, who attended with her classmates wearing sarees, said they had planned the visit to enjoy the afternoon together.
"We came together, dressed up in sarees, and spent a wonderful afternoon taking photos and chatting. We also bought books," she said.
A representative of a participating publishing house said visitor numbers had been relatively low during the initial days but had increased recently, bringing better sales.
The fair will conclude Friday evening with a formal ceremony.
