Boishakhi mela begins at Bangla Academy on Tuesday

The Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) is collaborating with Bangla Academy to host a seven-day Boishakhi Mela 1433. The event will take place at the Bangla Academy premises from 14 to 20 April.

Each day, the fair welcomes visitors from 10am to 7pm, promising delightful experiences, as highlighted in a press release.

At a press conference on 13 April at the Shaheed Munier Chowdhury Auditorium, Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Bhaban, Bangla Academy officials announced the event.

Professor Mohammad Azam, Director General of the Bangla Academy, and Md Saiful Islam, Chairman of BSCIC, addressed the media at the event.

BSCIC has played a significant role in developing cottage, micro, small, and medium enterprises. It does so through entrepreneur development, industrial registration, training, loan support, and marketing assistance. As part of these efforts, the organisation holds fairs and exhibitions throughout the year. These events promote locally made goods and broaden market access.

BSCIC and Bangla Academy have organised the Boishakhi fair at the Bangla Academy premises since the late 1970s. The event is now a central feature of New Year celebrations. It is also recognised as a prominent folk gathering.

This year's fair will showcase 160 stalls. They will feature agricultural produce, handicrafts, folk art, jute and leather goods, cottage industry products, and GI products such as jamdani, shataranji, and shital pati. Visitors will also find toys, women's accessories, traditional foods, and a variety of entertainment options.

Among the stalls, seven will feature leather goods. Six will offer jamdani products. Four will display nakshi kantha items, and 44 will present textile products. Five will showcase shataranji, and two will house Manipuri sarees. Additionally, 13 stalls are dedicated to a craft zone, children's rides, entertainment, cultural programmes, puppet shows, and bioscope.

BSCIC will allot 13 stalls free of charge to marginal artisans, two to small ethnic communities, and one to Quantum's voluntary blood donation programme.

The fair will be inaugurated at 11:30am on Tuesday, 14 April, at the Bangla Academy premises. Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Adviser for Cultural Affairs, is expected to attend as the chief guest. Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir, Adviser for Industries, will be the special guest. Professor Mohammad Azam, Director General of Bangla Academy, will preside over the ceremony.