The Amar Ekushey Book Fair is moving at a slower pace during the daytime due to the month of Ramadan.
To shield themselves from the intense sun, many publishers have erected temporary cloth canopies in front of their stalls.
Although attendance remains thin at midday, visitors gradually begin to gather from late afternoon onwards.
A visit to the fair showed that even several days after its inauguration, decoration and preparatory work at some stalls is still under way. Some visitors have expressed disappointment at this. Publishers, however, said that as the fair began during Ramadan, lower attendance in the early days is natural. They expect a larger turnout in the final days of the event.
Visitors were seen browsing newly published books, exchanging greetings with their favourite authors, collecting autographs and taking photographs to capture memories.
Compared with other sections of the fair, the Little Magazine corner at Suhrawardy Udyan has drawn relatively fewer visitors. Stall representatives said this area generally attracts smaller crowds, although overall sales by the end of the day are usually satisfactory. While attendance appears even lower this year, they remain hopeful that the situation will improve towards the end of the fair.
Writer Tipu Sultan has also attended the fair this year. He was seen walking around the grounds holding his new book ‘Bonus’. Although his stall has not yet formally opened, he said it would begin operating from Sunday.
He told TIMES of Bangladesh, “I come to the fair every year. This year’s arrangement is different. Because of Ramadan, visitors are fewer for now. But I do not think the numbers will remain low. Book lovers cannot be kept away from books; those who love reading will certainly come.”
University student Wasek Monsub Ziman visited the fair with several senior and junior acquaintances. He told TIMES, “Even on the third day of the fair, work at many stalls is still ongoing. This is disappointing and does not send a positive message to readers. We hope the fair will conclude smoothly.”
Mustakim, a staff member at the Padmabati stall in the Little Magazine corner, said, “Usually there are fewer visitors here, but sales are moderate by the end of the day. This time attendance seems even lower.”
At a neighbouring stall, Badrul Haider said, “The front part of the Little Magazine corner is somewhat untidy. Bangla Academy has assured us that swift steps will be taken. The fair has only just begun, and numbers may increase towards the end. Even if readers are fewer, visitors are more. We are not discouraged; rather, we are hopeful. The main aim of the book fair is to turn visitors into readers.”
In front of the fairgrounds, the number of mobile art stalls has increased to five compared with the previous day. Many families were having portraits sketched. Mir Musharraf was drawing attention by playing a bamboo flute. He said he had long been involved in the craft alongside his part-time profession. “This art is fading away. My aim is to preserve the tradition alongside earning a livelihood,” he said.
Before the Maghrib call to prayer, stall owners were preparing for iftar at their respective stalls, with some inviting others to join them. Security personnel were also arranging iftar near their duty posts. Visitors were seen preparing for iftar at various spots around the grounds.
A narrow queue of visitors was observed stretching from the metro station to the TSC gate. Some had come to buy books, while others were there to look around. Overall, although daytime attendance remains modest, the fair regains some vibrancy in the afternoon. Stall owners expect the book fair to become lively again during the final days of Ramadan and on public holidays.
