Fair grounds bloom with roses, joyful youth and colourful decorations

Though the fairgrounds typically bustle with visitors, writers, and readers during weekends (Friday-Saturday), the morning of the seventh day of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair on Friday (February 7) was relatively quiet. However, by 4.00pm, the atmosphere changed as the fair became lively with a surge of visitors.

A large crowd gathered in the afternoon, with many young people carrying colourful roses in their hands. The increase in rose sales was linked to the start of Valentine’s Week on February 7, which marks Rose Day. The combination of this special occasion and the Friday holiday attracted many visitors to the fair.

The fair’s children’s hour, which began at 11.00am, was packed with families visiting with their children. At the fairground adjacent to Suhrawardy Udyan, children were seen playing with their parents, making new friends, and exploring books. Many also stopped by the children’s area to enjoy various activities.

The Bangla Academy’s efforts to engage visitors during the holiday were notable. Competitions for children and teenagers, such as drawing and recitation contests, created a lively atmosphere. Additionally, the fair featured regular discussion programs, cultural events, the Writers' Talk stage, and the July Story stage, all contributing to a vibrant and bustling environment with many visitors and activities.

On the seventh day, 184 new books were launched, covering a wide range of genres including poetry (60), short stories (26), novels (37), essays (5), research (2), rhymes (4), children's literature (4), biography (2), liberation war (1), drama (2), science (2), travel (3), history (5), politics (2), language (1), mass uprising (3), religion (4), science fiction (2), and other categories (18).

Children and Teenagers' Painting Competition

A painting competition for children and teenagers was held at the Bangla Academy premises starting at 8:30 am. The event was inaugurated by Dr. Abdus Sattar, Professor at Dhaka University’s Department of Oriental Arts. A total of 750 participants competed, divided into three categories: 303 in A-branch, 325 in B-branch, and 122 in C-branch.

Children and Teenagers' Recitation Competition

The primary selection for the children and teenagers' recitation competition took place at the Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Auditorium of Bangla Academy at 10 am. A total of 433 participants joined the event, including 141 in A-branch, 207 in B-branch, and 85 in C-branch. The competition was judged by Dr. Tariq Manzur, Professor Shayla Ahmed, and Bacchanalian Shafiqur Rahman Bahar.

Discussion Program: 'Golam Murshid Path in the Mirror of Cultural History'

At 4 pm, a discussion titled 'Golam Murshid Path in the Mirror of Cultural History' took place on the main stage of the book fair. The article was presented by Samjir Ahmed, with Swarochish Sarkar and Gazi Md. Mahbub Murshid joining the discussion. The session was presided over by Morshed Shafiul Hasan.

The speakers discussed Golam Murshid’s contribution to cultural history, emphasising his focus on neglected topics, interdisciplinarity, and the role of individuals in history. His approach to history studies, especially in Bengali literature, was noted for its depth and insight. The speakers acknowledged him as a pioneer in the field of cultural history in Bangladesh.

July Story Stage

At the July Story Stage, Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, spoke in memory of the martyrs of the July Uprising 2024. The session was moderated by writer and journalist Zubair Ibne Kamal.

Poet and fiction writer Iqtiza Ahsan and poet Mridul Mahbub discussed their new books on the Writers' Talk stage.

The cultural program featured recitations by poets Mosa. Ismat Ara and Muhammad Ismail, and performances by reciting artists Ariful Hasan and Afroza Parveen.

A musical performance by the cultural organization ‘Matir Sur Sangeet Parishad,’ directed by Md Faridul Haque, was held in the evening. Performances included vocals by GM Zakir Hossain, Tanzina Karim Swarlipi, Maksudur Rahman Mohit Khan, Champa Banik, Murshida Nahid, and Shahnaz Rahman Tahir, with instrumentalists Kazi Md Imtiaz Sultana (tabla), Dalim Kumar Barua (keyboards), Suman Kumar Saha (octopad), and Richard Kishore (guitar).