Book Fair at weekend
The Dhaka International Book Fair witnessed a low turnout on Friday, the first weekend after the fair began at the Dhaka University playground on December 1.
Visitors at the fair said absence of new titles and lack of publicity of the fair were the main reasons for the low-key state of the fair.
A numbers of publishers alleged that the book fair was failing to get momentum because of the mismanagement of the organising authorities, National Book Centre.
Osman Gani, executive director of the Bangladesh Knowledge and Creative Publishers’ Association, was found engaged in an altercation with some of the officials of the Bangladesh National Book Centre, including its director Rafiq Azad, over the souvenir of the book fair at its office.
During the heated argument, Gani alleged that the souvenir contained the advertisements of four books of prime minister Sheikh Hasina published by Mowla Brothers, while it was decided earlier that the souvenir would not contain any add.
‘We had already withdrawn all the souvenirs and new one will be published very soon,’ Rafiq Azad told New Age.
According to the fair office, six new titles have so far hit the fair — four were from Nandita Prakash and two from Bivash Prakashani.
A number of stall attendants and visitors complained about the inadequate preparation and publicity of the fair.
Shahriar Rahman, a visitor to the fair and an employee of a private organisation, was frustrated with the small number of new books at the fair.
‘I can hardly find any stall which has new titles,’ he said. ‘It seems that publishers had not taken the fair seriously and did not publish any new titles keeping the fair in mind. Maybe they are preparing for the Amar Ekushey Book Fair, which is just two months away,’ he added.
Omar Faruq, a stall attendant of Adorn Publications, said sales in their stall were poor as the number of visitors to the fair was very small.
Most of the famous publishing house including Srabon Prakashan, Oitijjhya, Anya Prakash and Sanghati did not brought any new titles in the fair.
The organisers said every evening a cultural function would be held at the fair premises, in which folk songs, Tagore’s songs, Nazrul’s songs, people’s songs, recitation and others programmes would be held. Seminars and discussions would be also organised at the fair venue.
A total of 151 publishing houses, including three foreign institutions — National Book Trust of India, Iran Cultural Centre and World Bank’s Dhaka office —have set up 223 stalls at the fair.
The 16-day book fair till December 16 will remain open for the visitors from 2:00pm to 9:00pm but on public holidays from 11:00am to 9:00pm.
Entrance fee for the fair is Tk 5 for each but school students will be allowed to enter the fair free.
