Writer-reader-publisher community concerned over uncertainty over Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026

12 October 2025 (Sunday)at afternoon, "Book Fair in a Time of Uncertainty: Writer-Reader-Publisher Exchange Meeting" was held at the Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum under the initiative of the Bangladesh Book Publishers and Sellers Association (BAPUS). The meeting was attended by the country's leading publishers, writers, readers, cultural figures, and media workers. Speakers at the meeting expressed deep concern over the uncertainty and delay in organizing the 2026 Amar Ekushey Book Fair. They said that the proposal to organize the fair in the post-election period is at odds with reality. Because the schedule of the national...

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12 October 2025 (Sunday)at afternoon, “Book Fair in a Time of Uncertainty: Writer-Reader-Publisher Exchange Meeting” was held at the Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum under the initiative of the Bangladesh Book Publishers and Sellers Association (BAPUS). The meeting was attended by the country’s leading publishers, writers, readers, cultural figures, and media workers. Speakers at the meeting expressed deep concern over the uncertainty and delay in organizing the 2026 Amar Ekushey Book Fair. They said that the proposal to organize the fair in the post-election period is at odds with reality. Because the schedule of the national election in the second week of February, followed by Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr, making it practically impossible to organize the fair before April. On the other hand, it is not realistic to safely construct and operate the huge fair structure during the intense heat of April and the subsequent storms and rains. The speakers said that the Amar Ekushey Book Fair is a symbol of Bangladesh’s independence, language and culture. It is not just a commercial event, but a tradition linked to the nation’s identity. If this fair is disrupted, it will be tantamount to the nation’s cultural defeat. The following proposal was unanimously made at the meeting:

1. The 2026 Amar Ekushey Book Fair must be organized between December 17, 2025 and January 17, 2026.
2. The government and Bangla Academy must take decisions quickly so that the publishing industry, writers, and readers can all make appropriate preparations.
3. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Culture are urged to take necessary coordination initiatives to organize the fair on time, taking into account security and other issues.

The speakers also said that the security risks being cited as a reason for the closure or delay of the book fair can be resolved through efficient management. In the history of the country, no book fair has ever been closed due to terrorism or chaos—this proves that the book fair is rather a symbol of national unity and progress. The meeting was presided over by Abu Bashar Firoz Sheikh, president of the Book Fair Standing Committee of the Bangladesh Book Publishers and Sellers Association.  Speeches were made by Golam Elahi Zayed, Vice President of the Bangladesh Book Publishers and Sellers Association, Moniruzzaman Khan (Publisher, Collector), Shibli Azad (Author), and Pulin Baksi (Author). In addition, Iftekhar Amin (publisher, wordsmith), Abu Bakr Siddique Raju (publisher, voice), Moin Mursalin (publisher, editor) and many others participated in the open discussion. In a joint statement after the meeting, the authors, readers, publishers and the Bapus Book Fair Standing Committee said: “We believe that the book fair is not a matter of political or administrative delay; it is a festival of national reflection. We humbly appeal to the government to hold the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 on time, safely, and with due dignity.”