Dr. Muhammad Yunus opens Amar Ekushey Book Fair with a focus on a ‍‍`New Bangladesh‍‍`

The Amar Ekushey Book Fair was officially opened on Saturday, February 1, by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government.

The event, which began at 4 PM, set the tone for this year‍‍`s fair with its theme:

"July Mass Uprising: Building a New Bangladesh."

The opening ceremony took place at the Bangla Academy, with Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque, the President of the Bangla Academy, presiding over the event. 

Mostafa Sarwar Farooki, the Cultural Affairs Advisor, delivered a special speech, while Mohammad Azam, the Director General of the Bangla Academy, welcomed the attendees.

This year’s book fair has brought together 708 publishers. Among these, 99 stalls are located at the Bangla Academy, and 609 are set up at Suhrawardy Udyan. 

To put this into perspective, last year, 635 institutions were given a total of 937 stalls.

There are 37 pavilions in the fair – one at the Bangla Academy and 36 at Suhrawardy Udyan. 

One of the special highlights this year is the Little Magazine Corner, which will be found beneath the trees near the open stage at Suhrawardy Udyan.

Around 130 little magazine stalls will be located there, offering a unique experience for fairgoers.

As always, the fair is offering something special for kids. The "Children‍‍`s Hour" will be held from 11 AM to 1 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, except for February 8 and 15. 

Various fun-filled activities like art competitions, recitations, and music performances will be organized for children and young adults to enjoy.

This year, the book fair is taking an important step toward sustainability. The organizers have made it clear that they are working toward a zero-waste, eco-friendly fair. 

"We encourage and urge all participants and partners to use sustainable materials such as jute, fabric, and paper instead of single-use plastics," they said.

The book fair will be open every weekday from 3 PM to 9 PM and from 11 AM to 9 PM on public holidays. 

There will be a one-hour break for lunch and prayers. On February 21, International Mother Language Day, the fair will open at 8 AM and continue until 9 PM.