A section of publishers on Monday urged authorities to reschedule the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 by February 5 until after Eid-ul-Fitr, warning that staging the country’s largest literary event during Ramadan could deal a severe blow to Bangladesh’s already struggling creative publishing industry.

The demand came from a press conference held at the Jatiya Press Club, where University Press Limited Managing Director Mahrukh Mohiuddin read out a written statement on behalf of creative publishers.

Ramadan is expected to begin in Bangladesh either on February 17 or 18.

Addressing journalists, Mahrukh said the Amar Ekushey Book Fair is not merely a marketplace for books but an inseparable part of Bangladesh’s cultural identity. “However, today the struggle is no longer about emotion; it is about survival,” she said.

The request was made on behalf of 262 publishers, including Mesbah Uddin Ahmed of Ahmed Publishing House; A K Nasir Ahmed of Kakoli; Mazharul Islam of Anyaprokash; Monirul Haq of Anannya; Syed Zakir Hossain of Adorn; Md Mobarak Hossain, manuscript coordinator at Prothoma Prokashon; Md Zahir Dipti of Eti Prokashon and a member of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair Committee-2026; Mahabub Rahman of Adarsha and a committee member; and Iqbal Hossain Sanu of Laboni.

Citing global data, Mahrukh said Bangladesh ranked 97th among 102 countries in the Global Reading Index published by international survey organisation CEO World. “Around 95 percent of books published in the country have a first print run of 300 copies or less, and nearly 70 percent of those copies remain unsold,” she added.

She said publishers continue to publish books despite a 60 percent decline in sales over the past one and a half years, calling it an act of “sacrifice” rather than a viable business decision.

“The state has a moral responsibility to nurture creative practices. In developed countries, governments protect writers and publishers by purchasing books for libraries, but in Bangladesh publishers take all the risks on their own,” she said.

Explaining the reasons behind the demand to postpone the fair, Mahrukh identified three major challenges.

First, she said the economic reality of Ramadan and the upcoming Eid would divert household spending towards food and clothing, while university closures would keep students—the main buyers—away from Dhaka, turning the fair into a “readerless market.”

Second, Mahrukh pointed to logistical challenges amid the national election atmosphere, including shortages of printing, binding and stall construction workers, along with soaring construction material costs.

Third, she highlighted the humanitarian and religious concerns of stall workers, most of whom are students. “Expecting fasting students to work long hours during Ramadan, or preventing them from going home before Eid, is both inhumane and dismissive of their religious rights,” she said.

Mahrukh said 262 creative publishers have already submitted a signed letter to the Bangladesh Book Publishers and Sellers Association (BAPUS), demanding that the fair be rescheduled. “BAPUS and general publishers are now united on this issue,” she added.

She said publishers had earlier submitted a memorandum to the cultural adviser but received no solution. Following the press conference, they submitted a fresh memorandum to Chief Adviser Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus.

Referring to Prof Yunus as an internationally published author, Mahrukh expressed hope that he would understand the publishers’ plight. “He knows how states in Norway, France or the UK support publishers by purchasing books. We believe he will recognise our sacrifice and take a rational decision,” she said.

The publishers placed a four-point demand before the government: rescheduling the book fair until after Eid-ul-Fitr by February 5; waiving stall rents and ensuring full government-funded infrastructure; introducing a special ‘book allowance’ to encourage student purchases; and reforming the government book procurement policy to ensure the purchase of at least 300 copies of each standard-quality book.

Mahrukh warned that if the demands are not met, it would be ‘practically impossible’ for 262 publishers, along with many others, to participate in the upcoming fair after January 31.

“We want the fair, but not at the cost of financial ruin,” she said.