Continuous drizzle put a damper on the interests of the book lovers to the Ekushey Book Fair in the last two days till Monday, causing a less turnout than usual. The climate rather turned the situation at the fair venue–both the Bangla Academy and Suhrawardy Udyan segments–completely messy, much to the disgust of the visitors as well as traders. Salespersons at various stalls of the fair expressing concern over the situation anticipated that if the inclement whether continued, it might cause a sharp fall in the visitors’ turnout in the coming days. Jhuma Nahar, a homemaker, along with her 8-year old child was struggling to cross the soggy ground inside Shuhrawardy Udyan.
“My child had been whining for a week to visit the book fair. As the sky was clear in the morning, I thought I should pay a visit today. But I wouldn’t have come anyhow if I had known about the condition inside the fair.” Fifty-eight new books arrived and ten others were launched yesterday at the book fair.
Among the new books, “Irrigation Principals and On-farm Water Management” by Dr Masattar is available at the stall of Nandita publishing house, “Manobik Banking” by Governor of Bangladesh Bank Atiur Rahman is available at the stall of Anyaprokash, “Selected One Hundred Poems” by Abu Karim at the stall of Shucipatra, “Narir Odhikar O Nirapotta” by Shamim Akhter at the stall of Jhingeful, “Nach Protimar Lash” by Pias Mojid at the stall of Shuddhoswar and “Lilamahal” by Tanvir Tarek is found at the stall of Jaqgti.
At Shamsur Rahman Seminar Hall of Bangla Academy, Minister of Information Hasanul Haq Inu unveiled the cover of “Bangabandhur 7 March Er Bhashon: Itihas O Tottho” edited by Abdul Wahab, a book containing write-ups of various noted politicians, authors, journalists, researchers and poets, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, poet Mohadev Saha, essayist Sardar Fazlul Karim, novelist Hasnat Abdul Hye and journalist A B M Musa. Launching ceremony of the book was held with Director General of Bangla Academy Shamsuzzaman Khan in the chair. Shirin Akter,MP, Deputy Director of the Establishment Department of Bangla Academy Jalal Firoz and former Vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University Professor Abdul Khalek were also present at the function.
Courtesy of The Independent
