CA to open Amar Ekushey Book Fair on 1 February

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus will inaugurate the month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2025 on 1 February.

Commemorating the memory of the martyrs of the Language Movement, the traditional festivity of Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2025 is all set to begin with this year's theme "July Gono Obbhuthyan: Notun Bangladesh Binirman" (The July Uprising: Rebuilding a New Bangladesh").

Amar Ekushey Book Fair Organising Committee members disclosed the details of this year's fair at a press conference on Thursday at the academy's Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad (AKSB) auditorium.

Committee members including the Bangla Academy Director General and committee President Dr Mohammad Azam, Bangla Academy Secretary Dr Md Selim Reza, and Amar Ekushey Book Fair Committee Secretary Dr Sarkar Amin were present.

A total of 708 publishers will participate in the fair with 99 stalls at the Bangla Academy and 609 at Suhrawardy Udyan. Some 642 publishers participated in the last year's fair.

The fair will feature 37 pavilions- one at Bangla Academy and 36 at Suhrawardy Udyan.

A dedicated space for little magazines has been allocated near the open stage of Suhrawardy Udyan, hosting around 130 stalls.

The Children's Corner, with 74 publishers and 120 units (up from 68 publishers and 109 units last year), will be expanded near the Ramna temple gate to ensure easy access for children.

The layout of the book fair will remain similar to last year, with some adjustments.

Due to the proximity of the metro rail station, the exit gate has been moved closer to the temple gate.

Four entry and exit points will be available at TSC, Doyel Chattar, the MRT basing plant, and the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB).

Food stalls will be organised along the IEB boundary, while 30 washrooms have been installed across the fair venue this year, the highest number in the fair's history, the organisers said at the press conference.

Security will be ensured by police, RAB, Ansar, and intelligence agencies, with over 300 CCTV cameras installed across the venue, while archways will be set up at all entry and exit points.

Daily seminars will take place at 4 pm on the main stage, followed by cultural performances in the evening.

Book launch ceremonies will also be held at Suhrawardy Udyan.

A special "Children's Hour" will run from 11am to 1pm on Fridays and Saturdays, excluding 8 and 15 February. Like previous editions, several recreational activities including art, recitation, and music competitions for children and teenagers will be organised as part of the fair's activities.

This year, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair aims to be eco-friendly and zero-waste, according to the organisers.

All participants and book fair stakeholders are encouraged and requested to use sustainable materials like jute, fabric, and paper instead of single-use plastics.

Bangla Academy is publishing 43 new titles and reprinting 41 books, which will be available at three dedicated pavilions and a children's stall. Books from Bangla Academy and participating publishers will be sold at a 25% discount.

The fair will remain open from 3pm to 9pm on weekdays and 11am to 9 pm on holidays, except for 8 and 15 February. Marking the International Mother Language Day on 21 February, the fair will begin at 8am and run until 9pm.

Following its previous traditions, several awards will be handed over to outstanding publications from 2024, including the Chittaranjan Saha Memorial Award for quality publications, the Munier Chowdhury Memorial Award for artistic excellence, Rokonuzzaman Khan Dadabhai Memorial Award for children's literature, and the Qayyum Chowdhury Memorial Award for aesthetic stall design.

The Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2025 is sponsored by Rocket (Dutch-Bangla Bank PLC), with Ama Tea and Savoy Ice Cream as co-sponsors while Dreamer Donkey is the event management partner for this year's fair.