United News of Bangladesh

The ninth day of the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela turned lively on Friday as the holiday atmosphere brought a large number of visitors to the fairgrounds. The special “Children’s Hour,”(Shishu prohor) which began at 11 am, created a festive environment filled with the joy and footsteps of children. The vibrant presence of young readers at the venues in Suhrawardy Udyan and Bangla Academy premises added a new dimension to the fair. During the second week’s Children’s Hour, participation from children of various educational backgrounds was noticeable. Students from government and private primary schools, as well as kindergarten and English-medium institutions, joined the program. Organizers believe such participation helps foster a sense of friendship and empathy among children. A variety of colorful arrangements were made for children at the fair’s designated children’s corner. From early morning, parents began arriving with their children to enjoy the event. One of the main attractions of Children’s Hour was a puppet show, where lively conversations between puppet characters, storytelling, and amusing gestures captivated the young audience. Alongside the puppet show, the fair also hosted drawing competitions, cultural performances, games, and several competitive events for children. Through these activities, organizers aim to introduce children to the country’s culture and traditions. Beyond the entertainment, children also showed strong enthusiasm for buying books. Young readers crowded different stalls to collect their favorite titles, including ghost stories, rhymes, poetry, and illustrated books. Parents said they brought their children to the Children’s Hour to encourage reading habits and reduce excessive digital dependence.  Rubel Ahmed, who came from Mohammadpur with his son, said, “Nowadays children spend more time gaming on mobile phones rather than playing outdoor games. While technology has positive aspects, it can also negatively affect children. So it is important to introduce them to the outside home.” Meanwhile, due to the holiday, the number of readers and visitors was higher than on other days. Sellers also reported better sales compared to previous days. Ekushey Boi Mela sees low visitor-reader turnout on day 7 At 3pm, a discussion titled “Birth Centenary: Kalim Sharafi” was held at the fair’s main stage. The keynote paper was presented by Anima Roy. The discussion featured Saim Rana and was chaired by Sadhan Ghosh. In the “Meet the Author” session, writers Mridul Mahbub and Ehsan Mahmud spoke about their books. Later at 4pm, poet Shaheen Reza recited poetry during the cultural segment, while artists also performed recitations and musical pieces.