PM to open Ekushey Book Fair tomorrow

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair-2021 on Bangla Academy premises and Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka tomorrow.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the book fair on March 18 at 3pm virtually from her official residence Gono Bhaban," Dr Jalal Ahmed, director of Bangla Academy and member secretary of Ekushey Book Fair Committee, told a press conference yesterday.

At the inaugural function, the PM will unveil the book 'New China-1952', the English version of 'Amar Dekha Naya Chin' written by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Besides, the premier will also hand over the prizes among the recipients of Bangla Academy Literary Award-2020.

Though the month-long fair is usually held in February commemorating the 1952 Language Movement, this year the fair has been delayed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the 28-day long book fair, which is supposed to be continued till April 14, can be shut down anytime, if the pandemic worsens, said State Minister for Culture Affairs KM Khalid at the press conference.

Birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and golden jubilee of independence has been set up as the main theme of Amar Ekushey Granthamela 2021.

Visitors to the fair have to strictly maintain the health guidelines for entering the fair premises while there will be arrangement for temperature test, hand washing and sanitising in the fair ground.

The book fair will remain open for all from 3:00pm to 9:00pm on working days and 8:30am to 9:00pm on public holidays with a one-hour break for lunch and prayers.