Ekushey book fair deferred due to Covid

In light of the recent surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths across the country, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs has deferred this year's Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela for at least two weeks. 

"We are yet to finalise a new date for the fair. An announcement in this regard will be made soon," Faisal Hasan, senior information officer at the ministry, told The Business Standard on Sunday.

Last year, the month-long fair, which usually begins on 1 February, was also postponed to avoid the spread of coronavirus infections. Later, the fair began on 18 March at the Bangla Academy premises and the adjacent venue in the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan.

After sustaining massive losses for over a year because of the pandemic, the publishers expressed their disappointment at the ministry's decision and demanded that the forthcoming fair be organised on 1 February.

People are usually reluctant to buy books after February, as people come in numbers during February ahead of the International Mother Language Day and the Language Martyrs' Day, they said.

Turnover in last year's book fair dropped significantly from Tk80 crores in 2020 to Tk15 crore, according to the Bangla Academy.

The turnover was also about Tk80 crore in 2019 and 2018, while in 2017 and 2016 it was Tk65 crore and Tk40 crore respectively.

According to Bangladesh Gyan O Srijonshil Prokashok Samity and Bangladesh Pushtak Prokashok Bikreta Samity, the publishers are fearing a financial loss of at least Tk50 crore if the fair is not held in February.

They sustained a loss of at least Tk20 crore last year.

Monirul Haque, executive director of Bangladesh Gyan and Srijonshil Prokashok Samity, told The Business Standard that his Ananya Prokashoni counted a loss of Tk25 lakh in last year's book fair due to the fair being delayed.

"The publishing sector is in a bad shape now," he said.

"Publishers are passing a crucial time. Most of them will be compelled to leave the sector if the fair is not held this year," he added.

Shaymol Pal, vice-president of Bangladesh Pushtak Prokashok Bikreta Samity, said, "The publication business has been facing difficulties since March 2020. The sector is just trying to survive at the moment."

Mohammad Nurul Huda, director general of Bangla Academy, told The Business Standard that they will follow the government's decision.

The Amar Ekushey Book Fair began informally on the Bangla Academy premises in 1972. In 1978, the academy officially took the responsibility of organising the fair every year. It was named Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela in 1984 and a guideline was formulated the same year.

In 2013, the fair venue was extended to Suhrawardy Udyan in a bid to accommodate more publishers and book lovers.

Publishers urge the government to buy books from them

Monirul Haque, executive director of Bangladesh Gyan and Srijonshil Prokashok Samity, told The Business Standard that the government allocated Tk20 crore to buy new books for its libraries across the country. At the same time, the ministries concerned buy substandard books every year.

"We have quality books but the government does not buy books from us. I urge the government to buy our books, which will help us reduce losses," he added.

No government fund yet

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government offered stimulus packages for many sectors but the publishing sector is yet to receive any fiscal assistance.

So far, the Printing Industries Association of Bangladesh (Piab) incurred a loss of Tk8,000 crores, The Bangladesh Pustak Prokashak and Bikreta Samity lost about Tk7,500-Tk8,000 crores and Bangladesh Gyan O Srijonshil Prokashak Samity suffered a loss of more than Tk200 crore.

Shyamol Pal said that their association sought Tk100 crore from the government at the beginning of the crisis as assistance, but to no avail.