United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday said efforts would continue to secure UN recognition for Bangla and proposed turning the Amar Ekushey Book Fair into an international event in the coming years. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 at Bangla Academy, he also stressed the importance of promoting reading habits and increasing the publication of research-based books. “In the course of time, you may consider whether, in the coming years, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair could be organised as the Amar Ekushey International Book Fair,” the prime minister said. Tarique said an international Amar Ekushey Book Fair will not only introduce our citizens to world literature but also encourage them to learn about and understand multiple languages and cultures. “I believe that, in today’s global village, it is essential to be familiar with not only our mother tongue but also with several other languages,” he said. To achieve prosperity and dignity in this competitive world, the Prime Minister said there is no alternative to building a knowledge- and talent-based society. “We must enrich ourselves through knowledge, science, technology, and skill. At the same time, our efforts to secure recognition for Bangla as an official language of the United Nations will continue,” he said. The Prime Minister also reflected on the distinctive identity of Bangladesh’s book fair. He noted that while book fairs are held in many countries, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair is unique, symbolising the achievement of language rights and the establishment of Bangla as the state language. “Although the size and scale of the fair increase every year, there is currently scope for thought on whether research-based publications are increasing at the same rate, and whether citizens’ reading habits are developing accordingly,” the prime minister said. Recalling the supreme sacrifice of the language martyrs of 1952, Tarique said February 21 is now observed globally as International Mother Language Day. “We observe Ekushey every year with pride in memory of those who sacrificed their lives to establish the dignity of our mother tongue. The day now belongs not only to Bangladesh but also to the whole world,” he said. The Prime Minister said Bangla Academy carries the spirit of the Language Movement and that the Amar Ekushey Book Fair is one of its most important creative initiatives. He said the fair should not remain just a marketplace for selling books. “Let Amar Ekushey Book Fair become a centre for the growth of education and culture. Let it be a meeting place of hearts.”