New books and visitors started arriving at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2025 on Sunday, a day after the inauguration of the month-long annual event.
A good number of stalls were not prepared to open and many others were working to prepare. Although the overall management of the fair improved, the organisers were yet to address the issues such as security, traffic management and lighting.
Moreover, the authorities have not yet announced the cultural programme schedule for the fair organised by Bangla Academy.
The member secretary of the fair committee, Sarkar Amin, said that they were happy to make progress in controlling dust, improving washroom services and building walkways on the second day of the fair.
鈥楾he fair committee visited the premises to observe the progress on Sunday and was happy to see the overall improvement in management. We discuss the security issue with police and hope the area lighting will be fixed in the next two working days,鈥� Sarkar Amin said, adding that the academy is not suppressing anyone鈥檚 freedom of expression and the discussed dustbin was set up by a specific stall.聽聽聽
A group of people pasted some stickers on drums to be used as a temporary dustbin at the fair, but the event management company of the fair did not distribute them to avoid controversy on Sunday evening.
On second day a large number of people, especially youths, visited the fair.
According to Bangla Academy, 13 new books were published on Sunday. Of them, four were collections of poems.
A salesman of the Bangla Academy said that although they published 41 new books and 43 reprints, the catalogues had not been published yet.
Some publishers displayed their catalogues but maximum books have not arrived yet.
On the second day, a discussion titled Political Lesson of Helal Hafiz was held on the main stage of the fair.
A discussion titled Haider Akbar Khan Rono will be held at the fair on Monday where Sohrab Hassan will present the keynote paper.
This year 1,059 units have been allotted to 693 publishing houses and organisations while 34 pavilions were also allocated.
