Ekushey book fair: Shrabon Prokashani banned for 2yrs

Bangla Academy has decided not to allot book stall to Shrabon Prokashani for two years in the Amar Ekushey Granthamela for an alleged stance of its owner against the academy’s action over a ‘controversial book’.

The authority took the decision on November 10, a Bangla Academy official said.

However, Robin Ahsan, the owner of Shrabon Prokashani, said that the academy did not give any notice before taking the decision.

He came to know about the decision today when his manager went to the academy to collect form to set up a book stall in the fair, scheduled to be started on February 1 next year, Robin told The Daily Star.

Robin said that due to this decision, he will incur huge loss as most of the books of his publication are sold out during the month-long fair. Besides, the progressive readers will be deprived of their desired books.

"I think it is an attack on the freedom of expression," he said.

During this year’s book fair in February, the academy had shut down book stall of Ba-Dwip Prakashan for selling a book that “hurt religious sentiments”.

But the owner of Shrabon Publications “had taken stance” so that the book could be sold in the fair, Jalal Ahmed, director of Bangla Academy, told The Daily Star today.

For this reason, the executive council of the academy found his stance goes against the “greater interest of the fair”, said Jalal, also the member secretary of the book fair committee.

The council at a meeting on November 10 took the decision on not allotting book stall to the publication for two years in the book fair, he said.

Robin Ahsan said he did not take stance for the book but he along with others had protested the arrest of the Shamsuzzoha Manik, the editor of the book.

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