Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday inaugurated the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026, the annual gathering for book lovers and publishers, in the capital.
The Prime Minister opened the country’s largest book fair around 3:12 pm, joining the inaugural ceremony at the Bangla Academy premises.
The Bangla Academy organised the fair at its premises and the adjoining Suhrawardy Udyan.
The fair will remain open from 2 pm to 9 pm on regular days, with entry closing at 8:30 pm. On holidays, it will run from 11 am to 9 pm.
Fridays and Saturdays will feature a dedicated Children’s Corner from 11 am to 1:30 pm, hosting 63 institutions across 107 units.
At the opening ceremony, the Prime Minister presented the Bangla Academy Sahitya Puroshkar 2026 to nine distinguished personalities for their outstanding contributions to Bangla literature.
This year’s recipients are: Mohan Roy for poetry, Nasima Anis for fiction, Syed Azizul Haque for essays and prose, Hasan Hafiz for children’s literature, Ali Ahmad for translation, Mustafa Majid and Israil Khan for research, Farseem Mannan Mohammedy for science, and Moidul Hasan for works on the Liberation War.
Unlike previous years, the fair began at the end of February instead of February 1 due to the national election held on February 12.
The ceremony began at 2 pm with the national anthem and a recitation of religious scriptures.
A one-minute silence was observed in tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement, the Liberation War, and the July mass uprising.
Professor Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque, Chairman of Bangla Academy, chaired the inaugural session. Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, State Minister Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam, Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Mofidur Rahman, and Bangla Academy Director General Prof Mohammad Azam, among others, addressed the programme.
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Prime Minister’s wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and his daughter Barrister Zaima Rahman were present.
Cabinet members, members of parliament, notable citizens, writers, publishers, and senior civil and military officials also attended.
Organisers promised a 'zero-waste' and environmentally conscious edition of the country’s largest literary gathering.
This year’s fair carries the theme 'Multidimensional Bangladesh' and will continue until 15 March.
The traditional book fair remains a central feature of Bangladesh’s cultural calendar, celebrating the spirit of the Language Movement and the wider observance of Amar Ekushey.
According to the organisers, 549 publishing houses are participating this year, with 81 stalls at the Bangla Academy and 468 at Suhrawardy Udyan, making a total of 1,018 units.
A 'Little Magazine Corner' has been arranged under the trees near the open stage at Suhrawardy Udyan, featuring 87 little magazines. The overall layout remains largely unchanged from last year, though some structural adjustments have been made.