Bangla Academy must be transformed into a dynamic institution: Cultural Adviser

Cultural Adviser Mostafa Sarwar Farooki said, ‘Despite some instability in the cultural arena in Bangladesh after the 24 coup, we have organized the Amar Ekushey Book Fair this year. In the future, arrangements must be made to organize the book fair in a new format and at a new level and Bangla Academy must be transformed into a dynamic institution with new thinking.’

He said these things in his speech as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the book fair on Friday (February 28) afternoon.

Bangla Academy Director General Professor Mohammad Azam delivered the welcome speech at the event. Dr. Sarkar Amin, Member Secretary of the ‘Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2025’ presented the report.

Additional Secretary (Routine Responsibilities of the Secretary) of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Md Mofidur Rahman delivered the speech as the special guest. Bangla Academy President Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque presided over the event.

Professor Mohammad Azam said, "One of the most important events in our national life is the language movement of '52. Remembering this event, we organize a month-long book fair every year in February. In the coming days, we will have to consider how to make the book fair more beautiful by keeping in line with public aspirations."

The member secretary presented his report and said that books of all institutions, including Bangla Academy, were sold at a 25 percent commission in the book fair. Bangla Academy sold books worth one hundred and sixty-five thousand five hundred and ninety-three taka in the 27 days up to February 27.

In his speech as president, Professor Abul Quasem Fazlul Haque said, "February, the month of language movement, is a very important month for us. The month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair is a means of preserving the memory of the martyrs who gave their lives for the language."

The fair began at 1 pm and continued until 9 pm. Children's Hour was held at the fair from 11 am to 1 pm on Friday and 335 new books arrived. So far, 3,299 new books have arrived at the fair.

Poet Shimul Parvin Iti, researcher Abdul Alim, researcher MA Monayem and poet Moin Muntasir discussed their new books on the Writers' Talk stage.

Poet Jasimuddin Literary Award 2025 and Syed Waliullah Literary Award 2024 were presented at the ceremony. Poet Al Mujahidi was awarded the Bangla Academy's 'Poet Jasimuddin Literary Award 2025' and Professor Hans Harder and poet Barnali Saha were awarded the 'Syed Waliullah Literary Award 2024'. The award-winning writers were given prize money, certificates and commemorative medals.

On the occasion of Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2025, the Bangla Academy-run Chittaranjan Saha Memorial Award, Munir Chowdhury Memorial Award, Rokanuzzaman Khan Dadabhai Memorial Award and Artist Qayyum Chowdhury Memorial Award were presented.
The Chittaranjan Saha Memorial Award-2025 was presented to the publishing house Kathaprakash for publishing the largest number of books in terms of subject matter and quality in 2024.

The Munir Chowdhury Memorial Award 2025 was presented to the publishing house Pathak Sambhal (Plato: Life and Philosophy-Aminul Islam Bhuiyan), the Bhashahid (Bhasha Shaheed Abul Barkat: Background Stories-Badruddoja Harun) and the Kathaprakash (Gorstaner Padya: Smriti and Life Dreams-Siraj Salekin) for the best books in terms of quality and artistic judgment among the books published in 2024.

The Rokonuzzaman Khan Dadabhai Memorial Award 2025 was awarded to the publishing house Kakatua for publishing the largest number of quality children's books in 2024.