Staff Correspondent
Thousands of people, mostly university and college students, thronged the Ekushey Book Fair at Bangla Academy on Valentine’s Day on Saturday. Young boys and girls carrying flowers in large numbers entered the fair venue.
They particularly bought romantic novels and books of poems on the day with many exchanging their books to mark Valentine’s Day.
Stalls of most of the publishing houses witnessed high sales on the day while the fair committee warned 20 stalls for flouting the fair rules.
Light books were on high demand on the day. A large number of greeting cards inscribed with quotations from illustrated love poems or rhymes was also sold.
Collections of love poems by Shamsur Rahman, Al Mahmud, Nirmalendu Goon and Shaheed Kadri were among the top sellers.
Some publishing houses and stalls of socio-cultural organisations sold greeting cards. Bangla Academy issued warning to 20 stalls for selling books that are not published by their own publishing houses and the books published abroad.
The fair committee gave 24 hours ultimatum to the stalls to stop sale of such books violating fair rules.
The authorities, however, did not disclose the names of the stalls.
The stalls set up outside the academy premises continued to disobey the fair rules by selling the books published abroad and the books released by other publishing houses.
The academy arranged a recitation contest for children and juveniles in the morning. Around 325 children participated in the competition.
Some 110 new titles hit the fair on Saturday on the 14th day of the month-long annual event.
The information centre reported arrival of 104 new titles. The figure was around 170 the day before.
Collection of poems led the tally of new arrivals on the day with 39 titles featuring 24 novels, 11 collections of stories, 7 collections of biographies. Eighteen books were launched at Lekhak Kunja (writers’ corner) on the day.
The information and cultural minister, Abul Kalam Azad, launched a title ‘Sheikh Hasinar Kisu Smriti Kisu Katha’ by Manjurul Islam published by Samay Prokashan. Writer Anisul Haque took the wrap off the book, Tarakader Rasbachan by journalist Zinat Ripa published by Ittiyadi Prakashani at Moder Garab circle.
Singer Fahmida Nabi and film director Mostofa Sarwar Farooqi was present at the book launching ceremony. Bangla Academy organised a seminar on folklore as part of its series of lectures on ‘Prospective Bangladesh’.
Mahbubul Haque read out the keynote paper at the discussion chaired by Shamsuzzanan Khan. Abul Ahsan Chowdhury and Shahida Khatun spoke at discussion which was followed by a cultural function.
Dhaka University professor Khandoker Ashraf Hossain will read out keynote paper at today’s seminar on translation. Shafi Ahmed, Khalikuzza-man Elias will take part in the discussion to be chaired by Kazi Manzure Moula.
Courtesy: newagebd.com
