The Amar Ekushey Granta Mela (Book Fair) is a soulful event for the Bangladeshis, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

“This is not only an event for buying and selling books, rather a soulful event for the Bangalees,” she said on Friday (Feb 1) while inaugurating the month long fair at the capital’s Bangla Academy.

“Bangalee’s history is one of sacrifice,” said the premier before adding, “It’s precisely what our achievement is.”

The prime minister said, “The movement for language started in 1948. That very movement eventually paved way for achieving our independence.”

“It was during our government that steps were taken to get February 21 recognised as the International Mother Language Day,” Hasina said adding that the UNESCO made it official on Nov 17 in 1999.

Recalling Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Bangla speech in the United Nations (UN), she said, “As a show of respect to the Bengali language, Bangabandhu delivered his speech at the UN in Bengali, as did I every time.”

“Buying new books from the Book Fair gives a sense of unmatched joy. However, it’s time for setting up digital libraries to cope up with the present era of digitalization,” she added.

After officially announcing the inauguration of the Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela-2019 the prime minister presented Bangla Academy Sahitya Puraskar (Literary Awards).

Indian poet Shankha Ghosh and Egyptian writer and poet Mohsin Al Arishi graced the opening ceremony which was also attended by State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid as a special guest.

Bangla Academy Director General poet Habibullah Siraji delivered the welcome speech in the ceremony, chaired by its President Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman.

The theme for this year’s Ekushey book fair is "Bijoy: 1952 to 1971 Naboporjay", said Bangla Academy officials.

The fair, like every other year, will end on Feb 28 and will remain open from 3pm to 9pm every day except for weekly holiday when it will remain open from 11am to 9pm.

On Feb 21, International Mother Language Day, the book fair will remain open from 8am to 8pm.