Shishu Prahar, the dedicated hours for children, drew a large number of crowds to the ongoing month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2025 on Friday. 聽
A large number of children along with their guardians visited the fair on the first day of Shishu Prahar, scheduled from 11:00am to 3:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
At the children鈥檚 corner located on the right side of the Ramna Kali Mandir gate at Suhrawardy Udyan, more than 70 publishing houses received children who came to visit the fair.
On the academy premises, different organisations including Bangladesh Shishu Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and China Book House also welcomed the children with their publications.
Mahbuba Rahman, in-charge of the programme of the fair committee, said that this year there were no cultural events at Shishu Prahar for the visitors.
鈥楨very year Sisimpur organises cultural events at the children鈥檚 corner but this year they have cancelled their programmes at the fair,鈥� said Mahbuba Rahman.
Programme director at Sesame Outreach Bangladesh Khalilur Rahman said that due to lack of budget this year Sisimpur cancelled cultural events and new books.
鈥榃e only display our old books because due to lack of budget we cannot bring any new books but children love our publications,鈥� said Khalilur Rahman.
Bangladesh Shishu Academy, a national academy for children, also did not bring any new books to the fair.
鈥榃e did not bring any new books to the fair,鈥� said a salesman of the academy.
A large number of children, nearly 1,300 participated in the children鈥檚 drawing and poetry reciting competitions on Friday morning.
A total of 184 new titles were published on Friday, the seventh day of the fair, raising the total number of books published in the fair to 409 so far, according to academy officials.
Out of 184 books, 60 were collections of poems and 37 were novels, while 26 were collections of short stories.
Chaired by Khaliquzzaman Elias, a commemorative discussion on Mohammad Harun-ur-Rashid will be held on the main stage on Saturday where Rafique-um-Munir Chowdhury will present the keynote paper.
Today the fair will be open at 3:00pm.