The sales increased as visitors thronged bookstalls at the on-going month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2025 in the capital Dhaka on Saturday.
A large number of audiences attended cultural events, discussions and book launching ceremonies at the venue organised by Bangla Academy.
Chandana Mandal, manager of children-based publication Mayurpankhi, said that sales increased with visitors swarming in bookstalls at the weekend.
鈥楢lthough this Saturday was not dedicated for children hours due to the admission test of Dhaka University, a large number of visitors were seen waiting at entry points to the fair,鈥� Chandana Mandal said, adding that they displayed more than 250 books including 10 new titles for children and the sales increased two times more than usual on the holiday.
A large number of children along with their guardians were seen visiting the children鈥檚 corner on Saturday and passed happy time at the children鈥檚 zone.聽
Saiful Islam, a salesperson at Dhaka Comics, said that visitors, especially children and teenagers were seen collecting their publications.
Publishing house Oitijjhya鈥檚 senior executive Md Mosleuddin said that they would publish more than 300 new titles as the demand for new books increased.
鈥楳ost of the readers are showing their interest in non-fiction publications,鈥� Mosleuddin said, adding that they published 25 first books by new writers to mark the 25th anniversary of the house.聽
Adarsha chief executive officer Mahabub Rahman said that readers demanded non-fiction publications as well as novels.
鈥榃e will bring 118 books to the fair, and most of them are non-fiction ones,鈥� said Mahabub Rahman.
On Saturday, the eighth day of the fair, a total of 102 new titles were published, raising the total number of books published in the fair to 511 so far, according to academy officials.
Out of 102 books, 29 were collections of poems and 19 were novels, while 16 were collections of short stories.
As part of celebrating International Mother Language Day, 139 children participated in a music competition on Saturday morning organised by the academy.
Chaired by Athar Khan, a commemorative discussion on poet Makid Haider will be held on the main stage on Sunday where Chanchal Ashraf will present the keynote paper.