Stall closed at Ekushey book fair for ‘hurting religious sentiments’

Authorities of Amar Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka this afternoon closed down a book stall on charge of displaying a book that reportedly hurts religious sentiments.

Ba-Dwip Prakashan (stall number 191) at the Suhrawardy Udyan was shut down soon after the fair opened at 3:00pm, said Dr Jalal Ahmed, acting director (sales, marketing and reprinting) of Bangla Academy.

The book, Islam Bitarka (debate on Islam) allegedly contains derogatory remarks on Islam and its prophet, according to a police official of a police control room on the fair premises.

Edited by Shamsuzzoha Manik, the book was published in 2010 and brought in Ekushey book fair in 2012.

Jalal Ahmed told The Daily Star that such ‘controversial’ book can instigate hurt to religious sentiments of the Muslims.

Law enforcers were deployed at the closed book stall.