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Published on March 18, 2021
The Amar Ekushey Book Fair has kicked off after a long delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the annual fair via video conferencing from the Ganabhaban on Thursday.
“Let us all make a hobby out of reading books. We should also encourage the future generations,” Hasina said.
She also urged everyone to follow the health rules at the fair.
The inauguration ceremony was chaired by Bangla Academy President Prof Shamsuzzaman Khan. State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, Md Badrul Arefin, secretary to the ministry, and Habibullah Siraji, director-general of the academy, were also present.
The latest edition of the fair has been dedicated to the memory of martyred freedom fighters of the Liberation War.
Sheikh Hasina unveiled the cover of "New China 1952," the English version of "Amar Dekha Naya Chin" written by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and published by Bangla Academy. The Bangla Academy Literary Award 2020 was also handed out to the winners at the ceremony.
Actress Ferdousi Mazumder received the award in the autobiography category, Dhaka University's Pro-VC Muhammad Samad in poetry, novelist and essayist Imtiar Shamim in literary fiction, DU’s Bengali teacher Begum Akhter Kamal in research, Prof Suresh Ranjan Basak in translation and founder of Chattogram’s Tirjok Little Theatre Rabiul Alam in the drama category.
Hasina said the event has been organised so that people are not deprived of the opportunity to visit the fair to browse and read new books.
“All those who will come here must follow the health safety rules,” she added.
Stringent health restrictions on top of a triple-layer security measure have been put in place at this year's Ekushey Book Fair.
Handwashing stations and sanitizers have been installed at the entrance while mask-wearing has been made mandatory at the fair premises.
A new gate has been set up to the east of Suhrawardy Udyan to avoid crowding at the entrances. As many as three separate gates for entrance and exit were put in place.
The venue has also been expanded to enforce social distancing rules.
The fair will be held from 3 pm to 9 pm on weekdays and from 11 am to 9 pm on holidays. It is scheduled to run until Apr 14.
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