Children corner, as an integral part of the Book Fair 2014, at the Bangla academy premises with its 26 stalls were buzzing with youngsters yesterday as schools remained closed on the occasion of Saraswati Puja. Almost all day long children thronged every stall which were decorated with colorful motifs and cartoons to attract the young book lovers. Owner of Progoti Publishing house said, this year story books are very popular among children which cost taka 90 in their stall. Javed Sheikh, owner of Aro publishing house said, that children are looking for horror stories and books based on Bangladesi folklore instead of Doraemon books this year. Jubaida Gulshan Ara Hena, owner of PPMC publishing house, also an author of children books, said “We want to promote our own culture to the children, so we are offering books that help to develop our own culture and heritage in young minds. Also, we try to put vibrant pictures on the cover of our books because young readers are really attracted by them.” Shaheena Sultana, assistant professor of KUET, who brought her child, nephews and nieces to the fair expressed her satisfaction about the children corner that offers all sorts of books for children in onelocation; so she would not have to look around much for children books.
Alongside books, many stalls were seen selling CDs and DVDs of animated Bangla and English Rhymes. But to the dismay of many, a number of stalls were found selling pirated books like Mr. Bean, Doraemon, Pokemon, Barbie etc at the fair. Where as Bangla Academy Authority clearly stated in their protocol guide for Ekushey Book Fair 2014 under article 13.14 (Section: Kha) that selling pirated books are prohibited inside the fair but the children corner of the fair seems otherwise. A number of stalls under children corner are selling these sorts of books. Murshiduddin Anwar, deputy director of Bangla Academy said that authority will monitor and take necessary steps against those who are violating the rules.
He also added, “Be it our own folklore or be it foreign cartoons, publishers should not sell books that can harm the moral growth of children.”
-With The Independent input
