Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2021 will begin on March 18 and continue till April 14 on the Bangla Academy premises and at the Suhrawardy Udyan following COVID-19 health guidelines.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the fair virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.

Bangla Academy director Jalal Ahmed, also member secretary of the fair organising committee, announced the schedule at a press conference at the academy on Tuesday.

The month-long book fair, traditionally held in February, has been shifted to March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The English translation of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s autobiography Amar Dekha Naya Chin, titled New China 1952, will be launched at the inaugural ceremony of the fair, said Jalal Ahmed.

The book would be published under the banner of Bangla Academy, he said, adding that Bangla Academy Literary Award 2020 would also be handed over to the awardees on the day.

State minister for cultural affairs KM Khalid, Bangla Academy director general Habibullah Siraji and architect and filmmaker Enamul Karim Nirjhar spoke, among others, at the press conference.

‘We are going to organise the fair amid the COVID-19 outbreak. One cannot enter the fair venue without wearing a mask. As the rainy season right around the corner, we are preparing four shelter centres for book lovers. There will be a proper drainage system at the fair so that the fair can return to normal operation within one or two hours following heavy rain,’ said Jalal Ahmed.

‘There will be three entry and exit gates at TSC, opposite to Bangla Academy gate and opposite to Ramna Park at the Suhrawardy Udyan. This year’s fair will have parking facilities adjacent to the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh due to the demand of people from all walks of life. There will be more volunteers than the previous year for ensuring health safety guidelines,’ Jalal Ahmed added.

‘This year’s fair is a new challenge for us as the number of COVID-19 infection rate is on the rise and there is a fear that with the onset of summer things may become worse. If the situation does worsen, the book fair along with the entire country will face huge losses. I am anxious about the COVID-19 situation. I urge all to maintain COVID-19 health safety guidelines,’ said KM Khalid.

‘We are holding the book fair amid the COVID-19 situation along with the fear of heavy rain and storm. I hope that everyone will come forwards to ensure that the fair is properly organised,’ said Habibullah Siraji.  

A total of 834 units have been allocated to 540 publishing houses and organisations to sell and exhibit their books and publications this year.

The authorities have allotted 154 units on the Bangla Academy ground to 107 organisations and 680 on the Suhrawardy Udyan to 433 organisations. The area of the fair is 15 lakh square feet and there will be 33 pavilions in the fair including the academy’s three pavilions.

Besides, there is also a little magazine corner with 135 small stalls and 5 open space. This year little magazine and children’s corner are set up in the Suhrawardy part. Children hour would not be held from the beginning of the fair. The academy will decide whether it will be held or not considering the COVID-19 situation.

Four information centres, three at Suhrawardy Udyan while another on the academy premises are set up this year to disseminate information about the fair.

This year’s theme is based on the country’s 50 years of independence and the birth centenary of the founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

However, there will be some ancillary events like those of the previous years from March 19, including Lekhak Balchhi, seminar and cultural programmes.

Bangla Academy will launch a total of 115 new and reprinted titles in this year’s fair.

The fair will be held from 3:00pm to 9:00pm except holidays. The fair will be held from 10:00am to 9:00pm in holidays.

The book fair began its journey on the Bangla Academy premises informally in 1972, and it became institutionalised in 1978. The fair was named Amar Ekushey Granthamela and a guideline for it was formulated in 1984.