'July Mass Uprising' Book Fair attracts no buyers on Monday

No buyers or readers were seen on the fifth day of the 'July Mass Uprising' Book Fair and book sales were also at zero. Publishers, stall workers and writers were seen disappointed with the situation.

This six-day book fair is being held at Bangla Academy on the first anniversary of the July Mass Uprising. A toral of 60 publishing houses are participating in the fair under the patronage of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

Visiting the fair premises on Monday (August 4), stall workers said that only a few visitors were seen roaming around the premises. Occasionally, one or two students and two or three writers were seen visiting. The disappointed publishers commented, 'There are no people to watch the book fair, no people to buy'.

Not a single book has been sold in the five days, said Tisha, a stall worker at Takdum Publishing.

She said: "No one knows that a fair is being held here. I fall asleep while sitting. My mobile runs out of charge while I press it."

She said: "There are two of us at the stall. My salary is Tk800 per day and the other's is Tk1,000. Yet not a single book has been sold. It is doubtful whether the stall's rent of Tk500 will be realised."

Tisha also believes that it would have been better if the book fair had been held at Suhrawardy Udyan.

Jahangir Hossain Sharif, a stall worker at the Bangladesh Cooperative Society, said: "Not a single book has been sold yet. The cost of running the stall is Tk480 per day. Even the stall rent of Tk500 has not been raised in five days."

Adarsha Publishers stall worker said: "So far, five or six books have been sold. If readers come, the books will be sold, but there are no visitors."

Piyas, a stall worker at Bhashachitra Prokashani, said that two books were sold on the fifth day and about 10-15 in the previous four days.

Prothoma sold 15 books as far, said sources. Ananya Prokashani, Anyaprakash and Pratibha Prokash stall workers have also managed to sell four to five books each so far.

Publishers who are disappointed with the fair said that sales at the July Mass Uprising Book Fair are zero. 'This is also a history. It is better not to hold such a lifeless fair.'

The fair is open from 11 am to 8 pm every day. A discussion program commemorating the 'July Mass Uprising' is held at the fairground at 4:30 pm and continued till 7:30 pm. The fair will end on Tuesday (August 5).