Dhaka University Correspondent,
bdnews24.com
Published: 17 Jan 2021 08:29 PM BdST
Updated: 17 Jan 2021 08:29 PM BdST
The government is thinking about letting the Amar Ekushey Book Fair begin in person this year after a delay amid the coronavirus pandemic but no date has been decided. );
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KM Khalid, the state minister for cultural affairs, said they will send a proposal to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on beginning the fair on Feb 20, or Mar 7 or Mar 17.
“Because we want to end the fair before Ramadan begins on Apr 12,” he said at a press conference on Sunday after meeting with the organisers of the fair – Bangla Academy and Gyan O Srijanshil Prokashok Samiti or the Academic and Creative Publishers Association of Bangladesh.
Dhaka University Correspondent and Staff Correspondent,
bdnews24.com
Published: 11 Jan 2021 02:45 AM BdST
Updated: 11 Jan 2021 02:45 AM BdST A child browsing a book at a stall at the Ekushey Book Fair during children s hour on Friday. Photo: Mahmud Zaman Ovi
The Amar Ekushey Book Fair is not going to be organised in February this year due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Bangla Academy has said. );
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Its Director General Habibullah Shirajee told bdnews24.com about the cultural affairs ministry’s decision on Sunday night that the fair cannot be held in the month of the Language Movement despite the publishers’ push.
A new schedule will be fixed when the situation improves, he added.
Virtual book fair plan scrapped
Boi Mela to get delayed start in February
Star file photo Staff Correspondent Staff Correspondent
Amar Ekushey Boi Mela-2021 will be held as usual, not virtually as previously reported, but will start later than the scheduled February 1.
Farid Ahmed, president of the Academic and Creative Publishers Association of Bangladesh (ACPAB), told The Daily Star yesterday.
The decision was made in a meeting between Bangla Academy, the ACPAB, and the Bangladesh Publishers and Booksellers Association.
Bangla Academy will announce the book fair date and duration based on a proposal to be submitted by the publishers association, which will first await ministry approval.
The Amar Ekushey Boi Mela will be held virtually in February. Plans to host the Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela 2021 at its usual physical location have been suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We have decided to have the fair virtually this year, Jalal Ahmed, member secretary of the book fair committee, told The Daily Star yesterday.
The committee had requested publishers planning to participate in the fair to submit a letter of interest by September 30. Five hundred publishers had shown intent. But only 120 institutions confirmed through the paid registration process by early December. It seemed not many organisations would be participating in the book fair given the circumstances. This was one of the reasons behind our decision in addition to the health risks involved, the secretary said.