Various preparations for smoothly holding the 'Amar Ekushey Boimela' (book fair) 2018 are going on in full swing. The month-long extravaganza will kick off in the city's Bangla Academy and nearby Suhrawardy Udyan from tomorrow (Thursday).
A record number of 455 organisations and publishers are taking part in the fair this year amid tight security measures.
The academy briefed the media on the event's details at its office on Tuesday, while Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) apprised them of the security measures in a briefing at the fair venue.
Bangla Academy Director General Shamsuzzaman Khan, and its director and member secretary of the fair committee Jalal Ahmed attended the briefing, among others.
Speaking on the occasion Shamsuzzaman Khan said the latest edition of this traditional book fair is going to be the largest-ever.
He said 455 publishers and different organisations are set to take part in the fair, while 409 publishers attended it last year.
"We are putting our best efforts to make the programme a significant one to uplift Bangla literature and culture," he said.
The press conference was told that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the book fair on the Bangla Academy premises at 3:00 pm.
Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor will attend the opening ceremony as the special guest, while Emeritus Professor Anisuzzaman will chair the ceremony.
Poet Agnes Meadows (UK), actress, screen writer, film producer and poet Dr Joyce Ashuntantang (Cameroon), Ibrahim El Masry (Egypt), and Orne Johnson (Sweden) will be present at the inaugural ceremony as distinguished foreign guests.
The fair will remain open for the book-lovers from 3.00 pm to 9.00 pm on every working day, and from 11.00 am to 9.00 pm on the holidays.
It will remain open from 8.00 am to 8.30 pm on the International Mother Language Day (February 21).
Meanwhile, in a separate briefing at the fair venue, DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia warned publishers of bringing any controversial book that might hurt religious and communal sentiments.
"Bangla Academy authorities will scrutinise the books displayed at the stalls in the fair to see whether or not those hurt religious, social and national values."
He visited the venue to oversee the security measures in and around the book fair.
"Adequate number of policemen will be deployed in and outside the fair to ensure security."
"Various units of police, including SWAT, bomb disposal, and dog squad, will remain standby to avert any untoward situation," he added.
During a visit to the fair venue on Tuesday afternoon, the FE correspondent found that the installation work of stalls was going on in full swing.
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