News Desk : dhakamirror.com
Ekushey Book Fair 2026 is set to begin on February 20, with approximately 60% of the preparations already completed.
The fair will run daily from 2:00pm to 9:00pm, extending its hours by one additional hour this year.
The information was disclosed at a press conference held on Thursday at 3:00pm at the Shahid Munir Chowdhury Auditorium of Bangla Academy.
Md Selim Reza, secretary of Bangla Academy and member secretary of the book fair management committee, presented a written statement during the press briefing.
He explained that the fair will be held from February 20 to March 15, following several meetings of the fair management committee.
While publishers had initially proposed holding the fair after Eid, the committee decided against this, citing the intense heatwaves, dust storms, nor’westers, and the risk of rainfall that typically occur in April, which would make hosting an open-air event impractical.
Instead, the committee opted to maintain the fair in February and March. In response to publisher requests, stall rents have been reduced by 25% this year.
Reza also confirmed that the fair will take place at Suhrawardy Udyan, for which the committee has secured allocation from the government.
Construction of the stalls has already begun. Event management firm Current Bangla Limited has been selected to manage the event, and cultural programs have been finalised. Invitations have been sent to prospective discussants and essayists.
Regarding participation, Reza shared that 527 institutions participated in last year’s fair. This year, in addition to these 527 institutions, 53 new institutions expressed interest in participating. Out of these, 24 new institutions have been selected for stall allocation, bringing the total number of participants to 551.
Currently, about 60% of the overall preparations have been completed.
At the beginning of the press conference, Bangla Academy director general Mohammad Azam emphasised that the fair is not organised solely by Bangla Academy, but by the Amar Ekushey Book Fair Management Committee, which includes representatives from various government ministries, publishers, writers, and cultural figures. The final schedule was unanimously approved, taking into account the country’s overall situation.
Special arrangements will be made for fasting visitors during Ramadan. Food stalls will be monitored to ensure the availability of quality iftar items at reasonable prices. Adequate water supply, expanded prayer spaces, and arrangements for Tarawih prayers will also be provided.
The director general expressed hope that the head of government would inaugurate the fair this year, as in previous years.
