Disorganised book fairs fail to draw crowds

Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury presents some books to Dr Anupam Sen, a noted academic and social scientist, at a stall at the Ekushey Book Fair at Laldgihi Maidan after inaugurating the fair on February 13. The Chittagong City Corporation organised the fair on the occasion of Amar Ekushey. PHOTO: STAR

Four book fairs are held every year, but they cannot win the hearts of readers, writers and publishers.

Two main book fairs take place at Laldighi Maidan and DC Hill Park in February.

A 10-day book fair, organised by Chittagong City Corporation (CCC), at Laldighi Moidan began on February 13. But like other occasions, the fair has so far failed to generate enthusiasm among the book connoisseurs.

The organisers of other main book fair at DC Hill Park are yet to announce their programme. This fair is generally held immediately after the International Mother Language Day on February 21.

Despite having a literary group as its organisers, the book fair at DC Hill Park cannot achieve much success due to lack of logistic support and patronisation by the administration concerned.

The other two book fairs titled 'Swadhinatar Boi Mela' and 'Shishu Boi Mela' are held at Chittagong Press Club. A group of young litterateurs of Chittagong Academy have been organising the six-day Swadhinatar Boi Mela since 2003. It is held from March 21 to 26. The academy also started organising a two-day Shishu Boi Mela last year. It is held in October.

Book fairs are being held in Chittagong in some disorganised and detached manner since independence.

Much to the disappointment of the local people, none of them emerged as a successful book fair which could be a meeting place for litterateurs, book lovers and cultural personalities.

Chittagong people still get nostalgic about a book fair held here in 1987. The fair was organised by Chittagong Divisional Public Library under the patronisation of the district administration.

"That was a book fair in true sense where stalls spreading over all the three floors of divisional public library building were arrayed with books of famous writers and publishers," said Rashed Rauf proprietor of Shaily Prakashani (publications).

After an interval of five years, Chittagong Youth Coir, organised an 'Ekush Mela' keeping a portion of the fair venue reserved for a few bookstalls on the Muslim Hall Institute premises in 1993.

Some renowned literary personalities like Dr Anupam Sen, Aurun Chandra Banik and Nasir Uddin Chowdhury were in the helm of the organisers.

The book fair in the vicinity of Ekush Mela was held regularly until it faced a setback when Chittagong City Corporation took up the responsibility of holding it at Laldighi Moidan in 1999, concerned circles said.

"Persons involved in literary and cultural arena lost their interest in taking part in the book fair as they could not take it as their own," said a poet and publisher preferring anonymity.

Later, a group of literary personalities under the banner of 'Ekush Mela Parishad' started organising the 'Ekush Mela' at a shifted venue of DC Hill Park in 2003. Emerged in a new appearance this fair is now well-known as 'Book Fair at DC Hill Park'.

However, the book fairs here are yet to inspire the writers and publishers. At present only two publications, Shaily Prokashani and Balaka, are publishing some books while the renowned publishers like Boighar and Dolan are not much active in this regard.

Bishwajit Chowdhury, a poet and journalist, said the book fairs in Chittagong might gain their pomp and grandeur if all the renowned publishers of Dhaka and other parts of the country come up with their books to participate in the fairs.