Dhaka: The month-long ‘Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela 2025’, Bangladesh’s largest book fair commemorating the Language Movement martyrs, is scheduled to begin on February 1. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus will inaugurate the event, marking a significant cultural occasion in the country.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the fair’s theme this year is ‘July Gono Obbhuthyan: Notun Bangladesh Binirman’ (The July Uprising: Rebuilding a New Bangladesh’). The fair will see Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki as a special guest at the opening ceremony. Bangla Academy Director General Mohammad Azam will deliver a welcome speech, with Bangla Academy President Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque presiding over the event.
The fair will host 708 publishers, with 99 setting up stalls at the Bangla Academy premises and 609 at Suhrawardy Udyan. Last year, a total of 937 stalls were allocated to 635 organizations. This year’s layout will remain similar, with adjustments including a relocated exit gate due to the metro rail station’s proximity.
The book fair will feature 37 pavilions and a Little Magazine Corner, housing around 130 stalls. Entry and exit will be facilitated through four points: TSC, Doyel Chattar, the MRT basing plant, and the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB). Food stalls will be positioned along the IEB boundary, and the fair will have 30 washrooms, the highest number in its history.
Security measures include police, RAB, Ansar, and intelligence agencies, supported by over 300 CCTV cameras and archways at entry and exit points. The main stage will be at the Bangla Academy, with book unwrapping and “Lekhak Bolchi” stages at Suhrawardy Udyan. Daily seminars and cultural performances will be held, and “Children’s Hour” will occur on Fridays and Saturdays.
Organizers aim for an eco-friendly, zero-waste fair, urging the use of sustainable materials. The fair will operate from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm on weekdays and 11:00 am to 9:00 pm on holidays, with special hours on International Mother Language Day. Awards will be presented for outstanding publications, artistic excellence, children’s literature, and aesthetic stall design.