Just five days before the annual Amar Ekushey Book Fair opens, a site inspection by the Daily Observer on Thursday revealed Suhrawardy Udyan and Bangla Academy transformed into a bustling construction zone rather than orderly literary pavilions.
Bamboo scaffolding jutted at odd angles, tin roofing lay in scattered piles, and workers, faces streaked with dust, moved with urgency. Plywood boards were being carefully cut and fitted for stall interiors, while some pavilions, like the green Prokriti O Jibon Foundation stall at Bangla Academy, were already adorned with painted designs and signage. Bright floodlights indicated construction continuing late into the night.
A representative from Shobha Prokashon, a publisher of political and contemporary books, said the lottery for stall allocations would be held Thursday night. "We missed the lottery 6-7 days ago, but a government directive compelled our presence today," the representative said.
"Everything will be ready, Inshah Allah," said a construction worker at Suhrawardy Udyan, working 16-hour shifts. Yet dozens of stalls remain incomplete, with dangling electrical wiring, missing signage, and piles of bricks and timber scattered across the fairgrounds.
For the first time in recent memory, the fair's final three weeks, usually its busiest period, coincide with Ramadan, which began Thursday. Publishers worry that browsing books for hours under the sun while fasting will deter families and health-sensitive visitors.
"Every year, same story," said a publisher at Bangla Academy. "Now, add Ramadan. Families won't come in the afternoon heat. Young people might come for iftar shopping, but that's different."
Small publishers depend heavily on February sales, with some generating 60-70% of annual revenue during the fair. The combination of incomplete preparations and fasting crowds poses unprecedented challenges.
