Ekushey Book Fair: Publisher banned for stance against academy decision

Bangla Academy has decided not to give Shrabon Prokashani any stalls in the next two Amar Ekushey Book Fairs allegedly for protesting the academy's actions against another publisher.

The authorities made the decision on November 10, a Bangla Academy official said. However, Robin Ahsan, owner of Shrabon Prokashani, said he came to know about the decision yesterday.

During this year's book fair in February, the academy shut down Ba-Dwip Prakashan's stall for selling a book that “hurt religious sentiments”. Later, law enforcers arrested three people, including the editor of the “controversial book".

But the owner of the Shrabon Publications “had taken a stance” that could have allowed the book to be sold inside the academy's fair, Jalal Ahmed, a director of Bangla Academy, told The Daily Star yesterday.

The academy's executive council was of the opinion that his stance went against the “greater interest of the fair", said Jalal, also member secretary of the book fair committee.

In a meeting on November 10, the council made the decision not to allocate any stalls for Shrabon Publications for two years, he said.

Contacted, Robin said he did not take any stance regarding selling of the book in the fair, but he along with others had protested at the arrest of Shamsuzzoha Manik, editor of the book.

He said Bangla Academy “banned” his publishing house for condemning Manik's arrest in a TV talk show and demanding his release at a rally organised by his friends at Shahbagh.

"Now, the authorities of the Bangla Academy are trying to instigate fundamentalists against me," he alleged.

He said Bangla Academy did not issue any notice before making the decision, and he came to know about it yesterday when his manager went to the academy to collect an application form for the book stall in the fair, scheduled to begin on February 1.

Robin said he would have to incur huge losses. Besides, the progressive readers would be deprived of their desired books.

"I think that it is an attack on freedom of expression," he said. The incumbent director general [of Bangla Academy] attempted to shut down his book stall in 2009 too, he alleged.

Asked about Robin's allegations, Bangla Academy DG Prof Shamsuzzaman Khan said Robin protested at the academy's decision to shut down Ba-Dwip Prakashan's stall.

Instead of talking to the authorities concerned, Robin demonstrated against the decision, said the DG, adding that he could not do that taking part in the book fair as a publisher. 

“The decision was made against Shrabon Prokashani for breaching the code of conduct of the book fair, not for any personal vengeance,” he told The Daily Star last night. 

Shamsuzzaman also refuted the allegation of instigating fundamentalists against Robin. 

Bangla Academy Director Jalal said there was no provision for serving notices upon the publisher whilst making such decisions. 

Bangla Academy's decision was being heavily criticised in social media.

Meanwhile, a group of writers, artists and cultural activists yesterday announced that they would stage a demonstration in front of Bangla Academy at 3:30pm today, protesting at the academy's decision.

Established in 1998, Shrabon Publications is mainly known for publishing books on political issues. Upon invitation of the German government, it took part in the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world's largest trade fair for books, three times, from 2007 to 2009, Robin said.

The executive council also decided not to allocate stalls for Rongin Ful, Oikya and Nil Pori publications for the next book fair for “selling pirated books” during the last book fair and Ba-Dwip Prakashan for “publishing a controversial book”, Jalal said.