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Amar Ekushey Boil Mela (Book Fair) will conclude on April 12, just two days before its closure schedule, due to the worsening Covid-19 situation in the country.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid made the announcement through a press release on Saturday.
The decision of closure comes at a time when the government is going to enforce a week-long strict lockdown across the country starting from April 14, aimed at curbing the Covid-19 transmission.
Also read: Nat’l committee for stopping Ekushey Book Fair as Covid cases surge
Talking to UNB, Dr Jalal Ahmed, director of Bangla Academy and member secretary of Ekushey Book Fair Committee, said, "The book fair will end on April 12 ahead of countrywide week long strict lockdown from April 14,"
The book fair that started on March 18 amid the resurgence of Covid-19 and was scheduled to end on April 14, failed to get its usual momentum with publishers and sellers fearing to incur huge losses in their businesses.
Also read: Ekushey Book Fair to remain open from 12 to 5pm amid lockdown
Although the government enforced a weeklong lockdown from April 4 it allowed the Bangla Academy to go ahead with the fair.
This year, 834 units were allocated to 540 publishing houses and organizations to facilitate sale of books and other publications.
Also read: Boi Mela to be open for 3.5 hours a day due to COVID-19v
The authorities allotted 154 units on the Bangla Academy premises to 107 organizations and 680 units in the Suhrawardy Udyan to 433 organizations.
Considering the Covid-19 social-distancing requirements, the land earmarked for this year's fair was expanded to 1,500,000 square feet.