Prominent publishers, authors, readers, and cultural figures have raised significant concerns regarding the growing uncertainty surrounding the 2026 Amar Ekushey Book Fair.
The discussions took place at a recent event titled “Book Fair in Times of Uncertainty: Author-Reader-Publisher Dialogue,” hosted at the Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium in the Bangladesh National Museum.
Organised by the Bangladesh Publishers and Booksellers Association (BAPUS), the gathering highlighted that the suggestion to hold the book fair after the national elections is unrealistic, considering that the elections are likely to be held in the second week of February 2026, followed by Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr.
According to the speakers, this timeline would make it virtually impossible to arrange the fair before April.
Additionally, they pointed out that the intense heat and potential storms in April would pose severe challenges, making the construction and operation of the fair’s large-scale structures both difficult and unsafe.
In response, the participants proposed scheduling the 2026 Amar Ekushey Book Fair between 17 December 2025, and 17 January, 2026, urging the government and the Bangla Academy to make an early decision to allow adequate preparations.
The speakers also called on the Home and Cultural Affairs Advisers to coordinate security and logistics to ensure the fair takes place without delay.
Addressing concerns about security, the speakers dismissed fears of potential threats, emphasizing that such challenges have never hindered the fair in the past. They stressed that the Amar Ekushey Book Fair remains a powerful symbol of unity and cultural pride in Bangladesh.
The discussion was chaired by Abu Bashar Firoz Sheikh, Convener of the BAPUS Book Fair Standing Committee. Other notable speakers included BAPUS Vice-President Golam Elahi Zayed, publishers Moniruzzaman Khan (Sanchita) and Iftikhar Amin (Shabdoshaili), and writers Shibli Azad and Pulin Bokshi.
In a joint statement following the event, BAPUS representatives, along with participating authors and readers, called on the government to ensure the fair takes place “on time, safely, and with due dignity.”
They emphasised that the fair should not be subjected to political or administrative delays, as it is “a celebration of the nation’s intellect.”
