Amar Ekushey Book Fair
Children enjoy first Shishu Prahar
Children on Friday enjoyed the first Shishu Prahar (children’s hour) at the month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2013 on the Bangla Academy premises in the capital.
Selling of books for children was also better on the day than that of the previous days since the beginning of the fair, said publishers and salespeople.
The fair organiser, Bangla Academy, declared February 8, 9, 15 and 22 as Shishu Prahar or hours for children on special consideration for children and their parents.
Like previous years, the dedicated corner for children in front of Nazrul Mancha was abuzz on the day with children along with their guardians.
On the first Shishu Prahar of the fair this year, books of ghost stories, humour, cartoons and general knowledge with colourful pictures attracted child readers, said the salespeople who were seen busy in handling the child customers and their guardians.
While nagging her mother for a title on ghost story, Oishi, a six-year-old girl, told New Age that she was not going to leave the fair without the book.
‘I’ve come to the fair on this day with my two kids so that they can grow reading habit and can also learn the history of our country,’ said Rabyea Akhar.
Al Mubinul Rahman, salesman of Rangin Phool, publishing children books, said they were happy with the day’s selling.
‘Today’s selling has exceeded all that we’ve sold in the previous days this year,’ said Phoolki Boi Kendra salesman Kamruzzaman Russel.
‘I’ve bought two comic books of Meena and now am looking for a book on ghost stories,’ said Sajeed Khan, a five-year-old boy, who came with his mother from Central Road in the city.
Earlier in the morning, a children’s drawing competition, inaugurated by Hashem Khan, was also held at the main stage of the fair ground.
In the afternoon Bangla Academy held a discussion on Habibullah Bahar Chowdhury with language movement veteran Ahmed Rafiq in the chair.
Syed Anwar Hossain, Morshed Shafiul Hasan and Israil Khan also spoke at the programme where Mafidul Haque read out the keynote paper.
Today a competition on general knowledge and extempore speech for children will be held at 10:00am.
A discussion on novelist Adoita Mallabarman will be held at 4:00pm with Kamal Lohani in chair.
Shantanu Kaisar will present the keynote paper at the discussion also to be addressed by Harishankar Jaladas, Shafiqun-nabi Samadi and Aditi Falguni.
Today’s children’s hour will be from 10:00am to 1:00pm.
However, about 190 titles on the children books have been arrived in the fair over the eight day.
A total of 250 titles hit the fair on Friday, that is led by poetry with 58 books, novel 46, and stories 33. A total of 13 new titles were also unveiled at the Nazrul Mancha on the day.
-With New Age input
