Let Ekushey Boi Mela be successful

The month-long Amar Ekushey Boi Mela is going on in the capital amid foolproof security which began on February 1. Some days have already gone since its beginning. This time the Boi Mela takes a different look. This year the extent and range of the Boi Mela have increased compared to previous years. Stalls have been decorated in a different way. The most interesting thing is that there are no shops for product along the footpaths on both sides of the road. Even there is no mobile shop in the area.

This is the first time Bangla Academy has brought all publication houses to Shuhrawardy Uddyan. There are adequate toilet facilities in the area. The main connecting road inside the Boi Mela has been tied with bricks. There are four entries and exits in the book fair which facilitate the entry and exit of visitors. That’s why Bangla Academy authority should be appreciated.

A fair for writers, publishers and readers sits in the book fair. They all wait for this fair all the year round. At one stage, the fair turns into a meeting place for all classes of people. Such kind of month-long book fair like Amar Ekushey Boi Mela is hardly seen to organize around the globe. It is said that the main cultural festival of Bangalees is Amar Ekushey Boi Mela which is mixed with our spirit and emotion.

We often hear a complaint when we come in the fair which is about discrimination between writers and publishers. Writers say that the sale of publishers is good while publishers say that writers’ book does not sell good. But this tendency can vary from time to time. The workers involved with the publication get their remuneration and publishers get dividend. Then, what’s wrong if we think the writers as workers or partners. It is necessary to remove gap between writers and publishers because the writers wait for the book fair.

Many of us go to book fair either to see or roam about it. But we should buy at least a book from the fair as books enlighten our mind and make us man filled with humanity. Books show us dreams and grow our good thoughts. Books light up our lamp for knowledge by which we can distinguish between good and bad. So we should go to book fair and buy books of our choice. Philosopher Decart says, “Reading good books means telling with the famous people of the last century”.

We wish success of Amar Ekushey Boi Mela.

risingbd/Dhaka/Feb 7, 2016/Saif/Amirul