Kureghor Prokashoni Ltd’s Ekushey Book Fair stall merges literature and rickshaw painting, showcasing Bangladesh’s artistic heritage. Led by Shamim Rahman Abir, it highlights cultural preservation through Monir Hossain’s vibrant hand-painted designs.

Are we truly creating an environment that fosters love for books among children?

In the last few years, there has been a paradigm shift in the traditional book fair culture. The commercialisation and curation of hyper nationalist books have led to the absence of literature and stories of “others”.

According to the publishers, the classic horror books are among their best selling novels this year.

Boi Mela is more than a clickable link we see on our phone screens; it is more than the controversies and public debates.

Most of the students from Dhaka University did not know about the fair and simply happened to pass by.

Star Literature will be hosting a short story reading session moderated by Sarah Anjum Bari, the Books and Literary Editor of The Daily Star, on Friday at 4PM.

"It is not just a book fair; it is a gathering of the people of this region."

In addition to all the cognitive benefits associated with reading, reading in your first language has plenty of other benefits, including knowing about your country and countrymen in the language of the land.

Let’s take a look at the top 6 inspirational books at this year’s Ekushey Boi Mela.

"I don’t believe that we will get redress from the government in this matter. The only way out is a total reform of the state": Altaf Parvez, writer and researcher.

This celebration of the Language Movement which happens in the Boi Mela allows the ideas associated with it to be passed down from one generation to another. Boi Mela has become a focal point for the discussions surrounding the Language Movement. 

In the last two years, Amar Ekushey Boi Mela has been marred by fears, delays, and uncertainties caused by the pandemic. However, Bangla Academy hopes that this year’s book fair will return to its former glory with life getting back on track.

Boitoi, the largest e-book platform of Bangladesh, is organizing a 15-day ebook fair from June 16 to June 30. 

This year’s Boi Mela was special to me. Growing up, I was never too sold on the hype around the fair—there were always too many crowds;

Held on March 4-5 at the Gulshan Lake Park in its second iteration since 2019, the fair included stalls by several bookstores and publishers including Bookworm Bangladesh, Bengal Boi, University Press Limited, Baatighar, ULAB Press, Bishwa Shahittya Kendro, and more. 

In recent years, internet personalities have dominated sales at the Ekushey Boi Mela.

First, the government authorities are always behind in planning and leave things for the last minute to reach concrete decisions, and often, these decisions don’t take into consideration pragmatic solutions that are sustainable and maintainable in the long term.

Bengal Boi is hosting a magazine fair, ‘Potrika Porbo’, at their premises in Dhanmondi until Saturday, December 4.

​A seasonal book fair, Choitre Boi Utshab 2019, was organised in collaboration with 10 publications at Bangladesh National Museum.