Book fair attracts large number of visitors
The Amar Ekushey Granthamela-2018 on Friday drew a large number of weekend crowds, including children, as sales of books on different genres of literature and other branches of knowledge
soared.
With huge enthusiasm and curiosity, thousands of visitors of all ages flocked to different stalls and pavilions to find out books of their beloved writers. The stall attendants were seen busy dealing with the visitors and big smiles flashed on the faces of the publishers as holiday crowd thronged to different stalls and pavilions, reports BSS.
The month-long book fair began February 1 on the premises of Bangla Academy and its adjoining Suhrawardy Udyan in the city.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the traditional month-long "Ekushey Grantha Mela" (book fair) with a call to give due honour to the country's own art, culture, language and literature.
The book fair will bring together booklovers, authors, publishers and the people of different professions besides poets and writers from 15 foreign countries.
At the same function, the premier also launched a two-day International Literature Conference 2018, and handed over prizes among the winners of 'Bangla Academy Sahitya Puroshkar 2017'.
Necessary security arrangements have already been completed with the installation of 250 closed circuit camera televisions (CCTVs) in and around the Bangla Academy complex. The law enforcers have been deployed in large numbers to ensure foolproof security.
The book fair will remain open for all from 3pm to 9pm on working days and 11am to 9pm on government holidays with a one-hour break for lunch and offering prayers. It will continue till February 28.
Two main entry gates have been erected at Teacher-Students' Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University and Doyel Chattar.
Poets and writers from 15 countries will join the International Literature Conference, 2018 to be held on February 22-23.
A total of 800 stalls including 670 book stalls, 150 stalls of little magazines and some stalls of different socio-cultural organizations have been installed in the book fair covering an area of 1.50 lakh square feet. Bangla Academy will publish 146 new books this year.
The authorities for the first time have included the Swadhinata Stambha (Independence Monument) at the Suhrawardy Udyan as part of the book fair.
A mancha (stage) for holding publication ceremonies and programme on unveiling covers of the books has been installed at the Suhrawardy Udyan while discussions and seminars will be held every day on the main mancha erected on the Bangla Academy premises.
A separate gate has been made for entrance of the writers and poets into the Suhrawardy Udyan.
Generally, booklovers, authors, publishers and the people of different professions wait for the book fair.
Alongside displaying of books of different disciplines of knowledge and literatures, the book fair includes various events to increase attraction for the fair.
