Dipan Nandy

People were coming hand in hand, wearing yellow and red color dresses. Celebrations of Pahela Fagun and Valentine’s Day were in the air everywhere yesterday, especially at the premises of Ekushey Boi Mela.

It’s that time of the year again, when the first day of spring and the occasion to express one’s love coincide with the passion of bookworms, creating a festive atmosphere at Amar Ekushey Boi Mela.

“There’s no better place to share a moment reading and pass on this habit, than a book fair,” said Farhana Taher, who was sitting next to a stage at the Suhrawardy Udyan yesterday.

It was a sunny morning, which was further brightened up with the presence of children, who turned up in huge numbers at Amar Ekushey Boi Mela with their parents. They bought books of their choice and had a fun time with the characters of Sisimpur (Sesame Street’s Bangladeshi adaptation).

Mahatabul Rahman was roaming around the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela with his wife. He went to a stall on the Suhrawardy Uddyan premises and took a book in his hand, raised his eyebrows and put it back.

Although the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela is yet to go in full bloom, bookworms are already scouting the stalls looking for new reading material.

From the information centre, the announcer said Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay’s “Adarsha Hindu Hotel”, has been published by Abosor Prokashoni. Even after 73 years of his death, Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay’s book is being published. This goes to show that no matter what, classic literature books are always in demand.

Monowarul Islam was looking at the books in the stalls at Suhrawardy Udyan. He suddenly stopped in front of  Anyaprokash and picked up Humayun Ahmed’s “Badshah Namdar”.

Besides local books, readers are getting the scope to know about the language, history and culture of foreign countries at Amar Ekushey Boi Mela this year.

The fourth day of the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela was infused with great smell and music. Added on top of that was the sound of flipping the pages of the new books that came to the fair, bringing their own music.

With a smiling face and curiosity in her eyes, six-year-old Anika stood beside a barbed wire fence and gazed up at the sky. Soon, an aeroplane took off with a loud roar.

Shankha Saha was having too much of a good time to pay heed to his father.

It was early morning. The sun had not yet risen, and most of Dhaka was still sleeping.

In July 2017, Dhaka North City Corporation took 18 wards under its wing, which were previously under the union parishad system.

Shankha Saha was having too much of a good time to pay heed to his father..The seven-year-old was busy moving around the book fair at Suhrawardy Udyan this morning..Meanwhile, his father Shantanu Saha not only had to keep an eye on him, but also buy him books from the Sisimpur stall.

Rafia Ahmed tagged her three-year-old son along with her on the second day of the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela, who was seen following her around, wanting to buy some books on “cars”.

For the first time in three years, February 1 marked the opening day of the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela, commemorating the memories of the Language Movement martyrs. The fair will continue till February 28.

Some of the places remain under stagnant water for years, while some lack basic civic amenities, including proper roads or pure drinking water. None of these neighbourhoods has a single playground. Such are the states of the three wards in zone-9 of Dhaka North City Corporation.

In the last two years, Amar Ekushey Boi Mela has been marred by fears, delays, and uncertainties caused by the pandemic. However, Bangla Academy hopes that this year’s book fair will return to its former glory with life getting back on track.

According to the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) website, Golapbagh field is the single biggest playground in south Dhaka. This ground was closed for 10 years from 2006 as construction materials of the Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover were kept on the ground.