Amar Ekushey Book Fair to begin today, PM to inaugurate

The Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 is beginning today with the theme 'Multidimensional Bangladesh'. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the book fair as the chief guest at 2 pm on Thursday (February 26).

A total of 549 publishing houses are participating in this year's book fair.

Of these, 81 have got stalls in the Bangla Academy premises and 468 in the Suhrawardy Udyan section. The total number of units is 1,018. Last year, 708 companies participated, with 1,084 units.

The Little Magazine Chattar will be located in the tree-lined area adjacent to the open stage of Suhrawardy Udyan; 87 Little Magazines have been allotted stalls there. There are 63 companies and 107 units in the children's area.

Changes in entry and exit routes

Although the layout of the fair is the same as last time, the exit route has been moved slightly to near the temple gate due to the location of the metro rail station. There will be four entrances and exits in the TSC, Doel Chattar, MRT Basing Plant and Engineering Institution sections.

Food stalls have been placed neatly around the boundaries of the Engineering Institution. Prayer places, washrooms and other necessary services will continue. On the occasion of the holy Ramadan, there will also be arrangements for Tarawih prayers in the Suhrawardy Udyan section.

Book sale at 25 percent commission

Bangla Academy and other participating institutions will sell books at 25 percent commission at the book fair. Government institutions will sell books at their prescribed commission. There will be stalls in both parts of the fair for the sale of Bangla Academy's books and newspapers.

Thematic seminars will be held on the main stage from 3 pm to 4 pm every day and cultural programs from 4 pm to 5 pm. There will be a 'Children's Hour' every Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm. Drawing, recitation and music competitions will be organized for children and teenagers. There will also be an arrangement to unveil the covers of new books at Suhrawardy Udyan.

Emphasis on security and environment

There will be adequate archways at the entrance and exit of the fair. The police, RAB, Ansar and various intelligence agencies will be responsible for overall security. Closed-circuit cameras have been installed throughout the area. The fair will be free of polythene and smoking.

The organizers have announced adequate lighting arrangements, regular cleaning activities, sprinkling water to control dust and sand, and mosquito control measures in the fair grounds and surrounding areas.

DMP Additional Police Commissioner Md. Sarwar said that strict security measures have been taken around the Amar Ekushey Book Fair. About 300 closed-circuit cameras have been installed for round-the-clock surveillance during the fair. A special police team in plain clothes will be deployed throughout the area.

He also said that separate security arrangements have been made for women and children. Along with the police, SWAT teams will always be ready to deal with any emergency situation. A special security plan will be implemented considering the increase in the pressure of visitors during weekends. At the same time, coordinated efforts have been taken to ensure the cleanliness of the fair premises and the comfort of the visitors.

The police will also be vigilant about whether there are any books in the stalls that may hurt religious sentiments. He also said that if any kind of mob situation arises, it will be dealt with strictly.

Schedule

The fair will be open from 2 pm to 9 pm every day from February 26 to March 15 (except holidays). No one will be able to enter after 8:30 pm. The fair will run from 11 am to 9 pm on holidays.

‘Zero Waste’ Book Fair Initiative

The organizers said that the aim of this year’s event is to make it an environmentally conscious and ‘Zero Waste Book Fair’. The cooperation of all concerned has been sought in using recyclable and environmentally friendly materials like jute, cloth, paper in all aspects including stalls, stages, banners, leaflets and food stalls.

As per tradition, the book fair begins on the first day of the language month, and the fair is inaugurated by the head of government. However, this year, due to the thirteenth parliamentary elections and the fasting month, an initiative was taken to organize the fair in December. Later, it was decided to start on February 26 after several postponements.