Staff Reporter: 'Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2024' is set to commence today. The main theme of this year's fair is 'Read books, build country, Bangabandhu's Bangladesh'.
Read more : No threat centring book fair
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the fair at Bangla Academy premises at 3pm on the first day of language month on Thursday (February 1).
In the opening ceremony, she will unveil some books including 'Collected Works of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Volume-2' published by Bangla Academy and distribute the prizes to the winners of Bangla Academy Literary Award-2023.
Read more : Fire at bank in Gulistan
As usual, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair is going to be hosted by Bangla Academy. This time the fair will be held in Bangla Academy premises and historical Suhrawardy Udyan area of about 11.5 lakh square feet.
It is known that 635 publishing houses have been allotted 937 outlets in this year's fair. Publishing houses increased by 34%.
The fair will be held from February 1 to 29 and run from 3pm to 9pm every day except holidays. However, no one can enter the fair premises after 8:30pm.
Read more : 17 special trains for Ijtema
The book fair will run on holidays from 11am to 9pm. On February 21 the fair will run from 8am to 9pm. Apart from this, every Friday and Saturday there will be a 'Child Watch' from 11am to 1pm.
As part of Amar Ekushe celebrations, children's drawing, recitation and music competitions are being organized. New book unveiling ceremony will be arranged at Suhrawardy Udyan.
It is known that after 16 long years, Bangla Academy is once again carrying out the overall responsibility of organizing and managing the month-long book fair. Earlier, from 1972 to 2006, the Bangla Academy held the responsibility of organizing the book fair alone.
Read more : 2 UPDF members shot dead
In the intervening 16 years, third parties or event management companies were given all the responsibilities, including the creation of stalls. Bangla Academy has only performed monitoring duties.
According to Bangla Academy, sufficient number of archways have been arranged at the entrance and exit of the book fair. Bangladesh Police, RAB, Ansar and various intelligence agencies will be responsible for the overall security of the fair.
For flawless security, more than 300 closed circuit cameras have been installed in the fair area. The book fair will be polythene and smoke free.
Read more : Six burnt in N'ganj fire
Adequate lighting will be provided in the fair grounds and surrounding areas (from Doel Chatwar to TSC to Shahbagh, Matsya Bhavan, Engineering Institute to Shahbagh and from Doel Chattar to Shaheed Minar to TSC, Doel Chattar to Chankharpul, TSC to Neelkhet) for safety reasons.
Apart from this, there will be overall system of sprinkling water and daily mosquito extermination for the cleanliness and dust control of the fair.
Sun News/JR
Copyright © Sunnews24x7
