WEB DESK

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday inaugurated the month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka. The book fair is the annual event of Bangladesh book lovers and publishers, in the capital.

The Bangla Academy is organizing Bangladesh’s biggest annual on its and Suhrawardy Udyan’s premises with the theme “Paro Boi, Garo Desh: Bangabandhur Bangladesh (Read Book, build country: Bangabandhu’s Bangladesh) this year.

At the function, Sheikh Hasina unveiled covers of two books titled “Collected Works of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Volume-2” and “Praner Melay Sheikh Hasina,” published by Bangla Academy.

The Prime Minister handed over the award to the 16 recipients under 11 categories. Each awardee received a cheque for award money, a crest and a certificate.

The fair will remain open for all from 3:00pm to 9:00pm on working days and 11:00am to 9:00pm on public holidays.

The month-long book fair is arranged every year in February to commemorate the sacrifices of people who gave their lives on February 21, 1952, for establishing Bangla as the mother tongue, reports UNB.

The traditional Amar Ekushey Book Fair had started informally in 1972 on the Bangla Academy premises and then in 1978 the academy officially took the responsibility of arranging the fair every year.