Ekushey Boimela: Doubt and despair haunt preparations

There's already an exception to this year's Ekushey Boimela. Held forever in February, the beloved book fair had to be shifted to the second half of March this time around, due to the unceasing pandemic.

Slated for March 18, the Boimela will run till April 14 this year. While this represents an opportunity to recover some lost revenues, publishers' enthusiasm for the fair is noticeably low this time.

During a normal February, publishers' activity in Banglabazar – the premier publishing hub of the country -- reach fever pitch surrounding the book fair. This energy also seeped out to surrounding areas that house hundreds of printing and binding presses. It used to be a busy time for cover artists and load-workers too.

But almost none of that can be seen now. Does it mean there's no new book hitting the shelves this year?

"We aren't even half as busy as before," responded Tuhin, a publisher of renowned Pearl Publications. "When paying staff salaries has become burdensome, how can we print lots of new books? At best we will publish 10-12."

There's an additional set of worries troubling publishers like him. Readers accustomed to visiting the fair in February may not be as willing to go there now, that too amid the danger of the pandemic. Then there's the forecast of early-summer rainfall. All in all, publishers just can't help but feel stressed over whether their investments will yield any returns.

Publishers are instead relying on older publications, they told this correspondent. A publisher from Banglabazar, on condition of anonymity, said, "We are doing this year's fair because our backs are against the wall. We don't have the capacity to print new books. The best we can hope for is that the old ones get sold."

Banglabazar's Mannan Market hosts the most shops for creative books. Visiting the market, this correspondent found publishers and staffers preparing for the coming fair at a languid pace.

Monirul Haque, executive editor of Academic and Creative Publishers Association of Bangladesh and publisher of Anannya Prakashon, said, "That the fair is being held this year is a positive news for us. We haven't had a very good year. But we don't know how the fair will turn out, so there's that element of anxiety."

This anxiety is at its peak among the smaller publishers of Banglabazar, who make up the majority of publishers in the area. These smaller houses are averaging no more than two to three new publications this year.

DEPENDENT SECTORS IN DISARRAY

Over the years, the publishing industry of Banglabazar has given rise to numerous printing presses in surrounding areas. In regular times, their machines ran day and night a month before the Boimela. But owners said they are not faring very well this year.

"I have never seen this little business in my professional career," lamented Juwel, owner of Nandini Chapakhana. "The entire sector is gripped by depression."

"The passion and optimism of the Boimela is nowhere to be found this year," sighed Parvez of Ekushey Printers, and not without reason. Owners from several printing presses said their business has crashed down to almost a quarter of previous years' numbers.

This  affected load-workers of the area too. The season that used to be their biggest moneymaker is now no different from ordinary months. "We used to make many months' worth of money during Boimela months. None of that's here this year, and it's adding to the pain we have been suffering ever since the pandemic hit," said load-worker Mansur.

It's no different for binding houses as well. From among the hundreds in Banglabazar and nearby areas, many had to close during the pandemic, while downsizing has become the industry norm. Some binders have been forced to close shop and go back to their villages.

Ma-er Dowa Binding House is one such house that closed down last year. Despite owner Shajib's best efforts, he couldn't keep his business afloat. "I sold all the machines and brought down the shutter for good. At least 50 other houses have closed down in the last one year."

But regardless of the circumstances, the show must go on. On March 8, Bangla Academy held the stall allocation lotteries. Set with their allocated spaces, publishers said they have started work on their stalls and pavilions. For all their woes, they're still hoping for a silver lining in this unusual Ekushey Boimela. The rest is in the hands of the customers now, they said.