Election, Ramadan Threaten Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026

Writers and publishers in Bangladesh are increasingly worried about the future of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 with most apprehensive that the next national election due in all likelihood before the advent of Ramadan in February along with current political instability may interfere with the nation's biggest literary fair.

Traditionally organized during the entire month of February, the annual month-long fair is a cultural event that attracts hundreds of publishers, writers, and thousands of people to the grounds and surrounding areas of the Bangla Academy.

But since the holy month of Ramadan was likely to start on February 17-18 next year and the general election was due just days before that, numerous players in the publishing arena are of the view that adhering to the traditional calendar might create logistical and security issues, reduced participation, and losses for involved publishers.

In a Facebook post recently, well-known publisher and writer Mohammad Nazimuddin asked the Bangla Academy and the nation's publishers to finalize the fair's dates immediately.

RAB prepared to help during national election, if deployed: DG

"The book fair can be organized from January 10 to February 10, and a week before the election or a few days before the election," he said. The authorities should prepare themselves now and avoid uncertainty, he added.

Joy Shahriar, the founder and CEO of publisher Aajob Prokash, also demanded immediate action from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Bangla Academy, and the publishers' associations in both the ruling and opposition camps.

"For small but dynamic publishers like us, the book fair is the largest chance of the year," he posted on Facebook on Monday. "Since the election would occur prior to Ramadan, having the fair from February 1 to 28 would not be strategic. In September, it would give everyone adequate time to plan." 

He warned that if the authorities failed to prepare in time, they would end up repeating previous delays.

"If you don't believe we should have a book fair this year, let us know that too," Joy posted on his Facebook message. "The reality is that Bangladesh's creative book business relies significantly on the Amar Ekushey Book Fair."

According to publishers, with the political calendar already free months in advance, a move now could avoid confusion and maintain one of the country's most important cultural traditions.

Writers and publishers in Bangladesh are increasingly worried about the future of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 with most apprehensive that the next national election due in all likelihood before the advent of Ramadan in February along with current political instability may interfere with the nation's biggest literary fair.

Traditionally organized during the entire month of February, the annual month-long fair is a cultural event that attracts hundreds of publishers, writers, and thousands of people to the grounds and surrounding areas of the Bangla Academy.

But since the holy month of Ramadan was likely to start on February 17-18 next year and the general election was due just days before that, numerous players in the publishing arena are of the view that adhering to the traditional calendar might create logistical and security issues, reduced participation, and losses for involved publishers.

In a Facebook post recently, well-known publisher and writer Mohammad Nazimuddin asked the Bangla Academy and the nation's publishers to finalize the fair's dates immediately.

Post a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your Name

Your Email

Your Website

Leave a Reply

Captcha

Post Comment

0 comments

Sorry! No comment found for this post.