Not a great Boi Mela for readers, writers and publishers
Unfavourable economic conditions and uncertainty regarding the country’s law and order situation has led to slump in book sales at the fair this year
It was a fine evening at the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela when I visited a stall in search of a good book on contemporary poetry. The fair was bustling with visitors, gleefully roaming about, browsing books, and taking photos.
However, something caught my eye—they were not buying that much.
The economy is not in the best shape right now. Inflation remains high, and the cost of living continues to soar. As a result, people may not have much disposable income to spend on books. As a regular bibliophile and frequent visitor to the Boi Mela, I can confidently say that sales were higher in previous years compared to this year. And the sales figures support my hunch.
According to Bangla Academy, in 2022, total sales were Tk52.50 crore. In 2023, sales decreased to Tk47 crore, but in 2024, it increased to Tk60 crore.
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And this year feels different due to many other reasons as well. Post-uprising Bangladesh has yet to stabilise, and the law and order situation has deteriorated recently. Despite the increased number of visitors, it is evident that people are not purchasing books as much as before.
One noticeable change this year is the absence of celebrity writers and their fans. In previous years, flocks of fans would gather around well-known authors, seeking selfies and autographs. Influencers used to publish books, which, despite their questionable literary quality, sold well. This year, that phenomenon is entirely absent.
BK Ahmed, co-founder of Puthii, a small publishing house specialising in translations of Western non-fiction books, attributed the decline in sales to the prevailing anxiety and uncertainty caused by the deteriorating law and order situation in the country.
"Sales are down to one-third of what we usually saw in other years," he remarked. "Many of our regular book lovers haven't come to the fair this time. Small publishing houses like ours are suffering the most, while larger publishers are faring slightly better."
Curious about how larger publishers were coping, I spoke with Mohammad Nazim Uddin, arguably Bangladesh's most prominent thriller writer and owner of Baatighar Publication.
"It's hard to estimate exactly how much sales have dropped this year, but the market is not performing well at all. Even after Covid-19, we were doing better. Although we usually expect a surge in sales during the final days of the fair, this year, that hasn't happened," he said.
He also pointed to the law and order situation as a significant factor. "In previous years, the fair remained vibrant until 9 pm. This year, people have started leaving early, and by 7 pm, the fair is mostly empty. Some of my regular fans, who typically buy many books and visit multiple times, haven't come this year because they feel unsafe returning home at night."
It's hard to estimate exactly how much sales have dropped this year, but the market is not performing well at all. Even after Covid-19, we were doing better. Although we usually expect a surge in sales during the final days of the fair, this year, that hasn't happened.
Next, I visited Adarsha Prakashani, a well-known publisher that gained nationwide attention in 2023 when it was banned from the fair for refusing to remove books by three dissident writers. Adarsha is known for publishing works by prominent social thinkers, economists, online personalities, political commentators, and academics. This year, they released books by some of the frontliners of the July Uprising, attracting a large crowd to their pavilion.
I spoke with a salesperson at the pavilion to gauge how many visitors were actually purchasing books.
"About 70% of the visitors aren't buying any books," he said. "Even those who are buying are purchasing only one or two books, whereas in previous years, it was common for people to buy seven or eight books at once. Most visitors are now more interested in taking photos."
When I met Md Mahabubur Rahman, the publisher of Adarsha Prakashani, he gave a blunt assessment of the situation.
"Sales are only 50% of what we usually see," he said. "Business is not good at all."
He shared an anecdote about a well-known social media personality who is a prominent figure in the cultural scene. "I've seen this guy roaming the fair with his fans for at least 20 days every year since I first opened my stall here. This year, he's nowhere to be found. This is just one example of how many familiar faces from the cultural front are missing due to the political change. Their absence has impacted the overall atmosphere."
He also echoed Nazim Uddin's observation about the fair emptying out early. "Usually, we see more customers in the evening. This year, the mela becomes deserted after dark. While casual visitors are still roaming around, the actual book buyers are missing."
The overall atmosphere of the fair as a space for diverse voices also feels subdued. This is partly due to an incident two weeks ago when a group of agitated individuals besieged the stall of Sabyasachi Publication for reportedly displaying a book by Taslima Nasrin, who is in exile in India. Videos of the incident went viral on social media, raising safety concerns among visitors. Bk Ahmed believes this incident contributed to the slump in attendance.
"Some of my regular customers cited this incident as their reason for avoiding the fair this year," he added.
Even Panjeree Publications, one of the most prominent publishers offering a wide range of books from children's literature to comics and classic novels, has experienced a significant setback.
Sunil Kumar Dhar, director and chief publication officer of Panjeree Publications, said, "We've seen a 30-40% drop in sales this year."
He attributed this decline to the lack of safety and the mental stress caused by the July Uprising. "Book lovers are usually sensitive people. The events of July and August caused a tectonic shift in their psyche. They need more time to come to terms with the new political reality. Hopefully, business will recover next year."
He also pointed to specific factors, such as the absence of the usual Shishu Prohor (children's hour) on holiday mornings. "Without Shishu Prohor, we've suffered at least a 15% drop in sales," he estimated.
One notable exception is Guardian Publications, which publishes some of the most popular Islamic books. This is their first year with a stall at the fair.
Md Mahmudul Hasan, assistant managing director of the publication, said, "Our sales are going well. This was expected. We know our readers well. Even when we weren't allocated a stall in previous years, we organised an online book fair, and our sales didn't decline. What was unexpected this year was that, for the first time, having been allotted a stall, readers came to see their favourite publishing house in person."
He added, "The book fair is not just about buying and selling; it's a festival. It's about promoting books, fostering interactions between authors and readers, and facilitating exchanges of ideas between publishers and readers. If it were only about selling books, we could do that outside the fair as well."
Not just the publishers; even writers are feeling the pinch as well. Moinul Ahsan Saber, a prominent fiction writer of the country, raised concerns regarding the sales.
"The business is not good at all," he said, "it is mostly because of the lack of security and political unrest, but also the trauma of the July Uprising. We are still carrying the emotional trauma, and for this, we are not ready to move on just yet. Moreover, the layout of the fair is very disorganised. It is hard to find a stall; so many fans go home without buying their favourite authors' books."
I also spoke with some visitors to gain further insight.
Sujoy Das, a visitor from Gendaria, said, "In previous years, we used to get book recommendations and lists of must-read books on Facebook. Book groups were lively with discussions about new releases. This year, that's not happening. Everyone is talking about politics now. We don't know which books are worth reading, and there's less promotion as well."
Suriya Binta Junnat, who came from Mirpur, used to visit the fair at least 10 times each year. This year, it was only her second and final visit.
"It's not safe for women to return home at night. We don't feel secure. Also, the weather and dust are major issues. I'm constantly sneezing because of the dust. In previous years, I used to wear sweaters, but now I'm sweating constantly. It's hard to enjoy the fair under these conditions. That's why many women like me are avoiding it this year."
Swapan Molla, a corporate employee, visited the fair with his wife and young son. This year, he's not buying any books.
"Who knows what the future holds? The political situation is unstable," he said. "It's better to save money rather than spend it on books. We came here so our son could have fun. It's a good place to spend the evening, but buying books feels like a luxury we can't afford right now."
