United News of Bangladesh

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 eight distinguished personalities for their outstanding contributions to Bangla literature. This year’s recipients are 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. 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.

Bangla Academy on Tuesday assured that this year’s Amar Ekushey Book Fair will be held in a more organised, inclusive and secure manner from February 26, despite various challenges, with the participation of the highest number of publishers. Director General Dr Mohammad Azam made the remarks at a press conference outlining last-minute preparations for the fair. Dr Selim Reza, Secretary of Bangla Academy and Member Secretary of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 Organising Committee, presented a detailed report on the preparations. He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the fair as chief guest at 2pm. The theme of this year’s event is ‘Multidimensional Bangladesh’. Emphasising inclusivity, Dr Mohammad Azam said the fair would be ‘a place for all opinions and people’. “Additional security forces have been deployed to prevent any untoward incidents, as we believe in an inclusive book fair.” Regarding stall construction, he said publishers had assured him that work would be completed on time with extra effort. Stalls and Participation A total of 549 publishing houses are participating this year. Of them, 81 will be located on the Bangla Academy premises and 468 at Suhrawardy Udyan, with a combined total of 1,018 units. The Little Magazine Corner has been set up near the open stage area of Suhrawardy Udyan, where 87 little magazines have been allocated stalls. The Children’s Corner, featuring 63 institutions with 107 units, has been placed at the centre of Suhrawardy Udyan to ensure easy access and safe movement for children. Layout and Facilities While the overall layout remains similar to last year, several structural adjustments have been made. Due to the location of the metro rail station, the main exit has been shifted closer to the temple gate area. There will be four entry and exit points via TSC, Doel Chattar, the MRT base plant and the Engineering Institute area. Food stalls have been arranged along the boundary of the Engineering Institute. Prayer spaces, washrooms and other essential services will be available. During Ramadan, arrangements will be made for Taraweeh prayers at the Suhrawardy Udyan section of the fair. Organisers said a mobile app has been updated to make it more user-friendly, enabling visitors to easily locate book stalls. Books will be sold at a 25% commission by Bangla Academy and participating publishers, while government institutions will follow their designated commission rates. Bangla Academy book stalls will be available in both sections of the fair. Events Daily thematic seminars will be held from 3pm to 4pm, followed by cultural performances on the main stage from 4pm to 5pm. On Fridays and Saturdays, children’s and adolescents’ programmes — including drawing, recitation and music competitions — will take place from 11am to 1pm. Security & Cleanliness Archways will be installed at entry and exit points. Overall security will be ensured by Bangladesh Police, Rapid Action Battalion, Bangladesh Ansar and intelligence agencies, supported by a comprehensive CCTV system. The fair will be a polythene- and smoke-free one. Authorities said sufficient lighting, regular cleaning, dust control and mosquito management measures have been arranged in and around the venue and adjoining areas. Awards Several awards will be presented, including the Chittaranjan Saha Memorial Award for quality publishing, the Munier Chowdhury Memorial Award for artistic excellence, the Rokonuzzaman Khan Dadabhai Memorial Award for children’s literature, and the Qayyum Chowdhury Memorial Award for best stall design. A new accolade — the Sardar Joyenuddin Memorial Award — has been introduced this year for new publishing houses, with first, second and third prizes. Green Initiative Organisers aim to make this year’s fair environmentally conscious and zero-waste, encouraging the use of reusable and eco-friendly materials such as jute, cloth and paper in stalls, stages, promotional materials and food outlets. The inauguration date was rescheduled for the third time, having previously been set for February 25 and February 20, 2026, and December 17 last year. The fair will run from February 26 to March 15. It will remain open from 2pm to 9pm on regular days and from 11am to 9pm on holidays. Entry will close at 8:30pm.

Bangladesh’s premier literary event, Ekushey Book Fair, is set to open later this month amid mounting opposition from a large section of mainstream publishers who warn that holding the fair during Ramadan could inflict heavy financial losses on the industry. Bangla Academy has confirmed that the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 will begin on February 20, even as more than 300 publishers have threatened to boycott the event if the schedule is not reconsidered. Dr Md Selim Reza, member secretary of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 Organising Committee, told UNB that preparations are already well underway. “The lottery for allocation of stalls and pavilions was completed on Tuesday night. Allocation has already been finalised. Now publishers can start organising their allotted spaces,” he said. To facilitate confirmation of stall and pavilion allotments, Bangla Academy earlier extended the payment deadline from February 9 to February 11. According to organisers, a total of 662 stalls have been allotted this year, 133 more than in 2025. Of these, 24 new publishing houses have been allocated stalls. The number of pavilions stands at 23, including 11 for established publishing houses and 12 for new ones. Boycott Threat However, the decision to hold the 23-day fair from February 20 — during the fasting month of Ramadan — has triggered strong objections from publishers. In a press release signed by Mazharul Islam of Anyaprokash, a group of publishers said at least 321 publishing houses had demanded that the fair be held after Ramadan and would stay away if the schedule remained unchanged. Several publishers said they had raised concerns well in advance but received no positive response from the authorities. They argue that Ramadan typically brings shorter working hours and reduced consumer spending during daytime, which could significantly affect book sales. Many fear that participating under such conditions would result in substantial losses. Appeal to Tarique Rahman In a further escalation, the publishers’ platform Prokashok Oikk (Publishers’ Unity) has sent an open letter to Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the next Prime Minister of Bangladesh, seeking intervention. In the letter, the platform said nearly 90% of publishers believe that taking part in the fair during Ramadan would amount to ‘commercial suicide’. It claimed that more than 300 mainstream publishers have already expressed their inability to participate. The publishers said the industry has been under severe strain for the past one and a half years due to political and economic instability. Rising paper prices and increased production costs have intensified financial pressure, they said. They also noted that printing presses had remained largely preoccupied with election-related work over the past two months, effectively halting the publication of new titles. Against this backdrop, the publishers questioned why Bangla Academy remains firm on holding the fair despite repeated appeals for reconsideration. Call for Postponement The publishers stressed that they are not opposed to the book fair itself. Instead, they said they want a ‘successful and inclusive’ event that upholds the spirit and tradition of Amar Ekushey. Considering Ramadan and the post-election situation, they proposed holding the fair after Eid. In their letter, they placed two key demands before the new government led by Tarique Rahman: first, postponement of the fair scheduled to begin on 20 February; and second, organising the event in a festive and full-fledged manner after Eid. They expressed hope that a positive decision would protect the publishing industry from major losses and help preserve the legacy of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair — a cultural fixture that commemorates the Language Movement and remains one of the country’s most anticipated literary gatherings. For now, however, the fair appears set to go ahead as planned, setting the stage for a confrontation between organisers determined to maintain tradition and publishers wary of the economic realities they face.