A post-uprising book fair: More political than literary

The Amar Ekushey Book Fair has long been considered a symbol of our cultural aspirations, of our love and appreciation of the Bangla language, and the freedom to express ourselves in our mother tongue.

In reality, however, especially during the last 15 years, censorship had also become woven into the fabric of the fair, particularly when it came to books, writers and publishers who rubbed the Hasina-led regime the wrong way. 

Thus, there was much public anticipation surrounding the fair this year, given the current political landscape - the first one after Hasina's ouster.

One would have expected the fair to represent the spirit of the July Uprising in full glory - the establishment of a discrimination-free state and a society where people of all views, beliefs, and backgrounds can coexist peacefully, free from oppression and persecution.

Unfortunately, ever since the fair began, it is not literary works but controversial incidents — seemingly politically motivated ones — that are making the headlines.

Last Sunday afternoon, Bangla Academy shut down two stalls for allegedly selling sanitary napkins, sparking widespread criticism on social media. A letter from the fair's event management to the product's sponsor company had gone viral on social media. 

The fair authorities later stated that the stalls were closed due to the sale of "unauthorised products" at the book fair and not specifically due to the sale of sanitary napkins. Another press release from the Bangla Academy later claimed that the real mistake was made by the event management team, who went into an agreement with the sponsoring company with clearing with the Academy. The Academy announced that sanitary napkins would continue to be distributed at the event "free of charge" near the washrooms. 

Be that as it may, the narrative around Islamist groups trying to shut down the sale of sanitary napkins had already spread. Saeed Bari, president of the Anti-Discrimination Creative Publishers Association, believes this incident is part of a conspiracy. 

"Even after six months, such politically motivated acts are taking place at the book fair. They [fascists] are still trying in various ways to undermine this government. Their goal is to establish a narrative that the country is struggling and fundamentalism is rising," he said.

However, this is not the first controversial incident at this year's book fair.

A dispute broke out on 10 February over Sabyasachi Publications stall displaying Taslima Nasrin's book. The police shut it down, which also sparked widespread discussion across social media platforms.

"If there are objections to any book, there is Bangla Academy and the police to look into it. Thousands of people did not sacrifice their lives in the July Uprising to establish an extremist society," Md Minhaz Uddin, assistant professor at the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Jagannath University, told The Business Standard. 

In his opinion, such incidents will only strengthen the Indian propaganda narrative.

"According to international law and human rights, everyone has the freedom of expression. If you disagree with someone's opinion, the right approach is to simply ignore it or express your own views in response. But adopting an aggressive attitude is not the way," he noted.

However, some readers at the fair believe this was a result of years of living without freedom of expression. This sudden freedom after 15 long years has made such illogical outbursts inevitable. People are not yet accustomed to navigating a space where diverse opinions can coexist, they said.

Meanwhile, a seven-member probe committee, led by Bangla Academy Director Mohammad Harun Rashid, has been formed to investigate the mob attack. 

"Our work is ongoing. We hope to publish the report very soon," Rashid said.

Let's now turn our attention to books. As the July Uprising marks a significant new chapter in Bangladesh's political history, its proper documentation is crucial too. In Bangladesh, political parties often distort history to serve their own agendas — a tactic seen in the past as well.  

But six months later, how many books on the July Uprising have arrived at the fair? 

"I found a couple of good books while exploring the fair, but for proper documentation, a collective effort from prominent writers and publishers is required. It can take different forms; not just historical books but also stories, novels, and poetry that reflect the spirit of the July Uprising," Safwan Rahman, a medical student and history enthusiast, said at the fair. He believes this should also be done at the state level. 

However, the effort to decorate the fair with a July Uprising theme is noticeable. On the outer walls of the fair, as well as inside the fair, various July Uprising-themed posters have been placed. These posters display popular slogans from that time. A spot in Suhrawardy Udyan has been designated as 'July Square', alongside others named after language martyrs.

Another highlight of this year's fair, which has sparked intense debate on social media, is a particular dustbin. It features an image of Sheikh Hasina with a garland of shoes hanging around her neck, symbolising the depth of public anger towards the ousted autocrat.

Yet, many readers feel the fair could have portrayed the July Uprising more prominently. For instance, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement proposed setting up screens at various locations to show footage from July, but Bangla Academy did not implement it.

The big challenge now is to prevent anyone from using this gathering of free thought for political purposes or conspiracies.

"This time, the book fair is taking place in a changed reality. We seek everyone's cooperation to ensure it goes well and safe," Mohammad Harun Rashid urged.