Ekushey Book Fair begins in Dhaka on February 1 Open-minded writers upset

POBNEWS24, Dhaka, Jan 31, 2025 : Bangla Academy has been requested to scan and vet to ensure that no provocative writings are published at the book fair. He expressed the hope that Bangla Academy will take appropriate action in this regard.
On Friday (January 31), DMP Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sajjat ​​Ali and Additional Commissioner (Crime and Ops) SN Nazrul Islam spoke about this while observing the security situation of this year’s book fair at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.
It is worth noting that the book fair starts every year from February 1 and this year too is no exception. However, the gathering of progressive and liberal minds has become a little less meaningful since Sheikh Hasina left the country for India on August 5. Again, open-minded writers are upset. There is no such joy and enthusiasm. It cannot be said that there are none at all because, until now, there was a demand for the books of writers and publishers who were in demand by the readers but did not dare to publish them out of fear. A book lover who did not want to be named commented that this time, more books by those writers will come to the fair. This fair, which is a government initiative, binds book lovers to the same thread every year in Bengali culture. DMP Additional Commissioner (Crime and Ops) SN Nazrul Islam said, ‘We are suggesting to the Bangla Academy this time that the manuscripts of the new books that will be published in the future should be submitted to the Bangla Academy in advance. They will scrutinize it, read it and see that no such content is printed that disrupts our social life, disrupts our communal harmony, makes any anti-national statements or publications or destabilizes the government – such publications should not come to the fair. We have requested this from Bangla Academy. Police officer Nazrul Islam said, “Hopefully, from next year we will be able to get this done by giving the Bangla Academy the manuscript before publishing the book. It will only be published if they give permission.”