Celebrating Bangla: Ekushey Boi Mela sees huge turnout

If you walked towards Suhrawardy Udyan yesterday, you could feel the excitement in the air. The ambience would easily catch your attention and show that it's a special occasion -- Ekushey February.

The area was engulfed in a sea of black and white, celebrating International Mother Language Day.

A young group of boys and girls were singing, "Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano, Ekushey February, Ami ki Bhulte Pari" in a chorus, a reminder of the heroes who fought for the right to speak Bangla.

Shahriar, who came with a friend, said, "We woke up early to visit the Shaheed Minar and pay respect to the language heroes. Today is not only about buying books, it's about celebrating our language and culture."

His friend Nawshin echoed the same, saying, "This fair is also a special event for bookworms like us. It's a time to enjoy books, while also remembering the sacrifices made for our language."

A crowd of children was also present, their faces painted with colourful Bangla letters, excitedly walking through the Boi Mela, hand in hand with their parents.

The excitement and joy also spread to the people selling books, as visitors crowded their stalls in droves.

Saifullah, a sales representative of Mowla brothers publishing house, said, "The crowd is remarkable. The sales are higher than any other day."

Enam Khan, head of finance at Sisimpur Books, said with a smile, "It's been a really busy day as we served a record number of visitors this year. Though the number was low in the early hours, but after noon, our staff have been struggling to keep up with bookworms."

While the Boi Mela has seen fanfare since starting in February, yesterday showed that it is more than just a haven for bookworms. Rather, it is a celebration of the Bangla language, culture, and the love for reading.

The numbers did not lie, as over 7 lakh people visited the book fair yesterday, the highest attendance this year, according to Bangla Academy. On February 14 -- on the occasion of Sarwasati Puja, Pahela Falgun and Valentine's Day -- the number was around 3 lakh.