Fewer buyers at book fair on weekdays

Half of the month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair has already passed. While book sales soared on weekends (Friday-Saturday) and special occasions like Valentine's Day and the arrival of spring, sales on Wednesday (February 19), the 19th day of the fair, saw a significant decline. Buyers are not turning up in large numbers on weekdays.

Stall workers at the fair have expressed their disappointment over low sales.

Sadnan Sakib, in charge of the Oitijhya Publications stall, told Views Bangladesh, "The crowd was huge on Fridays and Saturdays, and book sales were high. However, compared to those days, sales on weekdays are much lower. Books are being sold, but the numbers are not promising."

Orpa, responsible for the Akshar Publications stall, said, "Books by Rudra Mohammad Shahidullah and science-related books are selling well at our stall. However, sales have slowed down a bit now."

Jahurul Islam from Prothoma Publications stated, "Compared to weekends, today's sales are poor. Many people are coming just to take selfies. It doesn’t feel good when they don’t buy a single book but take ten selfies instead."

He further added, "Sales are noticeably lower than on holidays. Political books are selling the most at Prothoma, whereas poetry books are seeing very little demand."

The fair opened at 3 PM and continued until 9 PM on Wednesday. A total of 70 new books were launched on this day, including 7 storybooks, 6 novels, 4 essay collections, 27 poetry books, 1 research book, 3 rhyming books, 6 children's books, 3 biographies, 2 collected works, 1 book on the Liberation War, 1 travelogue, 1 history book, 2 books on mass uprisings, 2 translations, 1 dictionary, 1 science fiction book, and 2 books from other genres.

Meanwhile, at 4 PM, a discussion titled ‘The Legacy of Children’s Literature Pioneer Rokonuzzaman Khan Dadabhai’ was held on the main stage of the fair. The keynote speech was delivered by Zulfikar Shahadat, with Shahabuddin Nagari participating as a panelist, and Syed Mohammad Shahed presiding over the session.

The keynote speaker remarked that Rokonuzzaman Khan Dadabhai was a towering figure in Bangladeshi children's literature. He tirelessly worked to nurture children's creative and intellectual growth. He not only envisioned a bright future for children but also planted the seeds of dreams in their minds. His goal was to shape children into ideal citizens. Through Kochi-Kachar Mela, he spread cultural activities among children nationwide. He wrote rhymes and encouraged other renowned writers to create literature suitable for children. His writings aimed to instill moral values, patriotism, and strong character in young minds.

Additionally, at the Lekhok Bolchhi (Meet the Authors) session, authors Mahmudullah, Kajol Rashid Shaheen, and Tuhin Khan discussed their new books.

The cultural segment of the fair featured poetry recitations by poets Majid Mahmud, Kamruzzaman, and Shafiqul Islam.

Musical performances were presented by singers Cynthia, Zerin Tabassum Haque, Kohinoor Akhter Golapi, Md. Robiul Haque, Arpana Majumder, Nadia Arefin Shaon, Salam Shamim, Rahima Khatun, Purbi Devi, and Rita Bhaduri. The instrumental ensemble included Tulsi Saha (tabla), Md. Shafiuzzaman (keyboard), Md. Atikul Islam (flute), and Dipankar Roy (octopad).

Today’s Events:

On Thursday (February 20) at 4 PM, a discussion titled ‘Centenary Celebration: Rashid Karim’ will be held on the main stage of the fair. The keynote speaker will be Hamim Kamrul Haque, with Aniruddha Kahali and Sakhawat Tipu as panelists. The session will be presided over by Subrata Barua.