Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has officially launched the 2026 Amar Ekushey Book Fair, a significant annual event for book enthusiasts and publishers in Dhaka. The opening ceremony took place at the Bangla Academy premises, marking the commencement of the country’s largest book fair.
Organized by the Bangla Academy at its premises and the adjacent Suhrawardy Udyan, the fair will be open from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm on regular days, with entry closing at 8:30 pm. On holidays, the fair’s operating hours will be from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. Fridays and Saturdays will feature a special Children’s Corner from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm, accommodating 63 institutions across 107 units.
During the inauguration, the prime minister conferred the Bangla Academy Sahitya Puroshkar 2026 upon nine individuals recognized for their notable contributions to Bangla literature. The recipients include figures such as Mohan Roy for poetry, Nasima Anis for fiction, and Syed Azizul Haque for essays and prose.
This year, the fair kicked off at the end of February instead of the usual February 1 start date due to the national election held on February 12. The opening ceremony commenced with the national anthem and a reading of religious texts, followed by a moment of silence to honor the martyrs of the Language Movement, the Liberation War, and the July mass uprising.
Professor Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque, Chairman of the Bangla Academy, presided over the inaugural session, with key figures like Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury and State Minister Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam in attendance.
The fair, themed ‘Multidimensional Bangladesh,’ will run until March 15 and is expected to feature 549 publishing houses this year, with 81 stalls at the Bangla Academy and 468 at Suhrawardy Udyan, totaling 1,018 units. An environmentally conscious approach has been promised by the organizers, ensuring a ‘zero-waste’ edition of the literary event.
True to tradition, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair remains a cornerstone of Bangladesh’s cultural landscape, embodying the essence of the Language Movement. The event also serves as a tribute to the spirit of Amar Ekushey, attracting a diverse array of attendees including cabinet members, parliamentarians, notable citizens, writers, publishers, and senior civil and military officials.
A ‘Little Magazine Corner’ has been set up under the trees near the open stage at Suhrawardy Udyan, showcasing 87 little magazines. While the general layout reflects that of the previous year, some structural modifications have been implemented for this edition of the fair.