The ‘July Uprising Book Fair 2025’ was inaugurated on Wednesday at the premises of Bangla Academy, marking the anniversary of the historic July Uprising.
The fair has been organized by the Bangladesh Publishers and Booksellers Association, with support from Bangla Academy and under the patronage of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
The inauguration ceremony, held at 5pm, was graced by Kazi Lulul Makh Min, mother of martyred activist Fahmin Jafar, who officially opened the fair.
In a brief yet emotional address, she said, “The blood of my child is entwined with the July Uprising. Through this book fair, we are remembering that historic event and honoring those, like my son Fahmin Jafar, who stood fearlessly in the face of authoritarian bullets. This fair is not just a tribute to the uprising and its martyrs but also to a fearless generation that stood with unyielding resistance.”
Prof Mohammad Azam, Director General of Bangla Academy, attended the event as a special guest. “In the past year, an impressive number of publications have emerged on the July Uprising. These works will serve as invaluable primary sources for future research."
"The July Uprising Book Fair is unique in its essence—books produced around the uprising carry historical significance as a counter-narrative to fascist propaganda,” he said.
President of the Publishers and Booksellers Association, Rezaul Karim Badsha, remarked, “This is not just a commercial festival—it is a celebration of free thought. If any regime ever attempts to suppress freedom of expression again, the uprising stands as a stark reminder of the consequences, and that reminder is now preserved in these books.”
The book fair will continue till August 5, open daily from 11am to 8pm, free for all visitors. Each day from 4:30pm to 7:30pm, memory-sharing lectures and discussions will be held on various aspects of the July Uprising under the title “Bloody July: In Our Memory, In Our Courage.”
The schedule includes sessions such as: “Role of Intellectuals in Post-Uprising Bangladesh” with Hasan Robayet and Pulin Bokshi, and “Youth in the Uprising – '90 and '24” with Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on August 1; “Censorship and the Intellectual Space in Bangladesh” featuring Imrul Hasan and Mahbub Morshed, and “Role of Publishing in Rebuilding Post-Uprising Bangladesh” by Mohammad Nazim Uddin on August 2; “The Role and Nature of Media in Post-Uprising Bangladesh” with Kajal Rashid Shaheen and Sahul Ahmed, and “Language, Literature, and Culture of the Uprising” with Altaf Shahnewaz on August 3; “Justice and Injustice in Revolutions” featuring Arif Khan and Faridul Haque, “Uprising and Women” by Moshaheeda Sultana, and “Reporting the Revolution” by Amirul Islam Kagzi on August 4; and finally, “The Revolutionary Generation and the Future of Bangladesh” featuring Rezaul Karim Roni and Tuhin Khan on August 5.
Over 60 leading publishing houses from across the country are participating in the fair.
Notably, visitors can also access reports from seven reform commissions of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh at the Publishers and Booksellers Association’s designated stall.