Chinese pavilion attracts visitors

Rashedul Islam, a student at the University of Dhaka, was in a hurry to find the China Book House, a book stall set up by the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, where he wished to buy a 3D pop-up book.

But he eventually was disappointed as the book sold out within three days of reaching the Amar Ekushey Book Fair.

Limon Sardar, in-charge of the China Book House and also a visa officer at the Chinese embassy, informed Rashedul that the new collection would arrive on February 23.

In response, Rashedul said that he had no alternative but to wait for the day and requested Limon to keep a copy of the book so that he could collect it.

Talking with Views Bangladesh, he said that he bought the book earlier for one of his nephews. Now, another nephew is demanding the book this year. That is why he was so eager to collect the book but in vain.

“I have to wait for a few more days for the book,” he said.

Limon Sardar told Views Bangladesh that this is the third time the embassy has set up the bookstall to let Bangladeshi people, students and researchers know more about Chinese culture and history.

“The number of visitors seems to be lower than last year, but still their response is above expectations,” he said, adding that the number of visitors at the stall is lower as they have no comics and the number of pop-up books is limited.

Besides, as the organisation was allotted its stalls on Bangla Academy premises, the number of visitors is very low. A good number of visitors are coming as they were already informed about the Chinese pavilion from last year’s visit to the book fair.

According to Limon, although being a specialised kind of bookstall, they are selling some 20 books a day including some volumes.

He hoped that the number of visitors would increase from after February 23 when the new collection would reach the stall.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen will visit the stall on the day, he confirmed.

The Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, in collaboration with Bangla Academy and China Media Group, installed the pavilion of China Book House at the book fair for the first time in 2020. The decision was made to enlighten visitors to the fair about the history, culture, society, heritage, business, and development activities of China.

Moreover, China was given priority in this case because of its multifaceted links with Bangladesh.

Visitors of all ages, but mainly young ones, are thronging the pavilion to become acquainted with life in China by reading the books sold there.

One of the sales representatives of the stall, Al-Khalid Bin Walid Dipu said that children with their parents, students who want to study in China and researchers are the main visitors at the pavilion this year.

Book publication crosses 2000 mark

Some 2,092 books have been published till Tuesday afternoon at the book fair, said Member Secretary of the book fair organizing committee Dr KM Muzahidul Islam.

“The number of book launches has increased in the last few days. In the first week of the fair, some 418 books were launched while the number was 811 in the second week and in the first six days of the third week it was already 863,” he added.

Vice President of the Bangladesh Publishers and Booksellers Association Shamal Paul, also the publisher of Puthiniloy, said that the printing of books this year was delayed due to the January 7 parliamentary election. As a result, the launching of many books also got delayed.

He hoped that the number of book launches would remain higher till February 25.