Hopefully this event will be a feature of the publishing calendar going forward.

Going up against the month-long Ekushey Boi Mela, a five-day book fair in memory of Shaheed Abu Sayeed is underway.

Sayeed was a student at Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, martyred in police firing while participating in the anti-discrimination student movement on 16 July 2024. His death sparked mass protests across the country, transforming the movement into a nationwide uprising against the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, leading to her fleeing the country to India in August.

Event Details

the inaugural Shaheed Abu Sayeed Book Fair is being held at the Independence Memorial Ground on the university campus from February 18 to February 22. Organised by the university administration, the event is expected to attract a wide audience.

Inauguration and Objectives

Vice-chancellor Professor Shawkat Ali said that the book fair marks the beginning of a cultural journey towards a new Bangladesh, achieved through the sacrifice of Shaheed Abu Sayeed. The fair aims to showcase the history, tradition, and culture of the northern region to the entire nation.

Opportunities and Future Plans

The Vice-chancellor highlighted that the book fair offers a unique opportunity for those unable to attend the Amar Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka due to time and distance constraints. Although the fair is organised for a short period this year, plans are in place to extend its duration in future editions.

Programmes and Participants

The five-day event will feature discussions, writer-reader interactions, recitations, and cultural programmes. Renowned journalist Mahmudur Rahman, editor of Daily Amar Desh, and Abdul Hye Sikder, editor of Daily Jugantor, along with poets, writers, and intellectuals, will participate.

The View From The Beach

Hopefully this event will be a feature of the publishing calendar going forward. The massive annual Ekushey Boi Mela in the capital attracts literally millions of visitors, but regional book fairs are few and far between. I just wonder why they chose to go head to head with one of the world’s biggest book fairs rather than choose another date.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.