Yesterday, Thursday, 26 February 2026, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair opened its doors, bringing together the largest gathering of Bangla language, literature, and readers. This is not merely a cultural event; it is a profound symbol of Bengali intellect, history, and state consciousness. Directly connected to the legacy of sacrifice of the Language Movement, the fair raises fundamental questions every year: how are we thinking, what are we reading, and how much importance does the state place on thought itself? As February arrives, people cross the city's bustle, political heat, and economic pressures to come closer to books. Books are not only entertainment; books are refuge, books are questions, books are the language of liberation.
The significance of the 2026 Book Fair has increased even more. After assuming office, this is the first major national cultural event facing the new government. Therefore, this year's fair is not only a festival for readers; it is a silent test of the state's cultural stance. The lifeblood of the Book Fair is the reader. No matter how impressive the number of stalls, the inauguration, or the presence of dignitaries, the fair is meaningless without readers. This is the unique strength of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair-readers do not merely buy books; they participate. They talk with authors, express disagreement over new books, raise questions, and wander in search of older titles. These disagreements, questions, and exchanges determine the intellectual depth of society.
In the digital age, reading habits have changed. Fast-paced videos, short-form content, and social media have reduced the time people spend reading books. Yet the Book Fair proves that readers have not disappeared; rather, they have transformed. Today's readers are more conscious and selective. The message for the new government is clear-no development is sustainable if intellect is neglected. The Book Fair is not just commerce. Publishers need sales to survive, but the true power of the Book Fair lies here-although books are commodities, their essential identity is as carriers of thought.
The participation of a large number of publishers this year indicates the vitality of the publishing world. In total, 549 publishing houses are participating: 81 stalls at the Bangla Academy premises and 468 stalls at the Suhrawardy Udyan section, bringing together 1,018 individual readers and writers. However, an increase in numbers does not automatically ensure quality. Today's readers judge content, language, research, and perspective. Conscious readers are the strength of the Book Fair-and a warning for the new government: a state cannot progress by ignoring intellect.
The 2026 Book Fair begins at a time when the country is moving through a new political reality. Public expectations of the new government are high, and questions are intense. The presence of the Honorable Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the inauguration has given the event state-level significance. But readers' expectations are not limited to ceremonial presence. They want to know-will the state view the Book Fair merely as a festival, or will it ensure a safe space for free thought, questions, and dissent? History shows that when literature and culture are controlled, they become more resistant and controversial. The Amar Ekushey Book Fair is a relevant stage for that very question. The major challenge for the new government is to accept questions not as enemies, but as the strength of democracy.
The fair's expansive layout-from the Bangla Academy premises to Suhrawardy Udyan-gives it the character of a temporary city. Stall arrangements, lighting, entrances, and exits are directly linked to readers' experiences. Readers can walk, stand, rest, and discuss books freely. The Children's Corner and Children's Hour are important initiatives for cultivating future readers. If children enjoy the Book Fair, books become companions of joy rather than burdens. By visiting each pavilion, readers discover new topics, new authors, and new genres.
The Little Magazine Corner is the most sensitive part of the fair. It hosts non-mainstream thinking, experimental literature, and emerging voices. Although the number of readers may be smaller, the impact is profound. If a "multidimensional Bangladesh" is to be real, protecting this space for alternative thought is essential. A major cultural responsibility of the new government is to ensure free expression and discussion for such experimental literature.
Environment-friendly initiatives at the fair also remind readers of their civic responsibilities. Just as reading nurtures the mind, protecting the environment is a duty to future generations. A plastic-free, clean, and eco-friendly fair imparts ethical lessons to readers. The organization during Ramadan shows that religious life and cultural life are not contradictory, but can coexist.
Security is necessary, but security at the Book Fair should mean trust, not fear. Readers should be able to move freely, talk with authors, and raise questions without anxiety. Ensuring such an environment is the state's responsibility. Excessive rigidity destroys the spirit of the fair. The challenge for the new government is to ensure safety without suppressing free thought and discussion.
Awards at the Book Fair encourage authors and publishers, but the highest recognition is readers' trust. Without transparency and fairness, awards themselves become questionable. Readers are the ultimate judges. If it wishes, the new government can strengthen culture through this fair based on the trust among publishers, authors, and readers.
This year's fair also highlights the participation of various social and educational institutions. School and college students come not only to buy books, but to join educational activities, reading circles, and author-reader dialogues. In this way, the Book Fair inspires the younger generation educationally as well. At the same time, it provides a strong platform for small publishers, new writers, and new genres. Here, readers are not merely consumers; they are partners, carriers of intellect, and critics.
Book Fair is not just about opening stalls; it also makes the state's cultural position visible. Books are still relevant, and readers are still active. If a "multidimensional Bangladesh" truly takes shape, it must be clearly reflected in the pages of books, in readers' thoughts, and in the conduct of the new government. Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 is a major stage for that test. The question is simple-can the new government turn this challenge into an opportunity?
The writer is Chairman, Jatiya Rogi Kaliyan Society
