Saturday | 11 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
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Saturday | 11 January 2025 | Epaper
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Ekushey Book Fair

Over 12 publishers denied pavilion allocations

Published : Saturday, 11 January, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 111
More than a dozen publishing houses are being denied pavilion allocations at this year's Amar Ekushey Book Fair due to allegations of them using political influence during the tenure of the ousted Awami League government to gain undue privileges.

The Book Fair 2025 organising committee has also decided to reduce the pavilion sizes of three publishing houses, including Anyaprokash and Agamee Prokashoni.

In addition, several other publishers have had their pavilions cancelled and will instead receive 3- or 4-unit stalls, according to a decision by the organising committee.

Remarkably, the publisher Journeyman Books, which was allocated a pavilion at last year's fair, has not been granted even a stall this year.

Several attendees of Thursday's organising committee meeting confirmed the decisions to bdnews24.com.

When asked about the meeting's decisions, Saeed Bari, president of the Anti-discrimination Creative Publishers' Association and chief executive of publisher Sucheepatra, told bdnews24.com: "Publishers had demanded that those who gained undue privileges through influence during the past autocratic government should not be allocated stalls at this year's fair.

"As a result of that demand, Journeyman Books is not being given a stall this time. Again, a few publishing houses that secured pavilions last year under political influence are also not getting pavilions this year. Instead, they are being allocated 3 or 4-unit stalls."

The decision by the fair committee has been criticised as "regrettable" by Osman Gani, owner of Agamee Prakashani, and Mazharul Islam, CEO of Anyaprokash.

Speaking to bdnews24.com, Gani said: "The fair committee made this decision under the influence of certain publishers driven by malice. This is a very unfortunate and condemnable example of action driven by vengeance."

Gani emphasised that publishers should not be judged based on political affiliations.

He told bdnews24.com: "My publishing house carries books by two advisors to the current government. I have published works by Farhad Mazhar and Humayun Azad. The evaluation should be based on the quality of books. Compare the list of books from these instigating publishers with those from my publishing house."

Mazharul Islam expressed his disappointment, saying to bdnews24.com: "All I can say is it's 'regrettable'. What more is there to say? A negative precedent has been set."

The Awami League's decade-and-a-half-long rule came to an end on Aug 5, 2024 following a student-led uprising. The movement, which began in early July, was triggered by demands for reforms in the government job quota system.

In the context of this political shift, the month-long book fair will begin on Feb 1 with the theme: "July Uprising: Building a New Bangladesh."

Like previous years, this year's book fair will also be held at the Bangla Academy premises and Suhrawardy Udyan, with preparations already under way.

Several attendees of the meeting told bdnews24.com that Tamrolipi Prokashoni, which was allocated a 24/24-sized pavilion last year, will only receive a three-unit stall this time.

Similarly, Charulipi Prokashon, Genius Publications, Bishwo Shahitto Bhaban, and Shobdoshaili will have their pavilions cancelled and will also receive three-unit stalls.

Last year, publishers such as Pathak Shamabesh, Puthiniloy Publication, Mizan Publishers, Annesha Prokashon, Anindya Prokash, Kakoli Prokashoni, and Somoy Prokashon had 24/24-sized pavilions. This year, they will be given four-unit stalls.

Meanwhile, Nalonda Prokashoni and Pearl Publications, which had 20/20-sized pavilions last year, will also receive four-unit stalls this time.

Delwar Hasan, owner of Abishkar Prokashoni, told bdnews24.com: "After the July Revolution, publishers mobilised protests, calling for a boycott of opportunistic publishers and demanding a blacklist. Based on those demands, the fair organising committee has cancelled pavilions for these so-called 'opportunistic publishers'."

When asked about the matter, Sarkar Amin, member-secretary of the Book Fair 2025 Organising Committee, told bdnews24.com: "To resolve the issue of stall allocations, the Book Fair Organising Committee formed a sub-committee. Based on consensus among the members present at the sub-committee meeting, certain decisions regarding stall allocations were made.

"Some pavilions were cancelled, and instead, the respective publishers were allocated three or four-unit stalls. We will soon publish the list of allocated stalls."

The meeting, presided over by Bangla Academy Director General Mohammad Azam, was attended by Sarkar Amin, poet and journalist Abdul Hai Sikdar, National Poetry Council convener poet Mohon Raihan, publisher representatives Saeed Bari, Md Gafur Hossain, Abul Bashar Firoz, Arifur Rahman Naim, Mahbub Rahman, and Md Zahir Dipti.    —bdnews24.com



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