Book fair abuzz with children's chatter

Arshiya Roy was having too much of a good time to pay heed to her mother.

The two and a half-year-old was busy moving around a platform setup under a banyan tree at Suhrawardy Udyan yesterday.

The platform, Shishu Chhattar, has been dedicated to children there for the month-long Amar Ekushey book fair, where they can play and learn at the same time.

Posters consisting pictures of vegetables and healthy food items were laid down, along with Bangla alphabets, which children had to identify and were given stickers and cards as gifts.

“Both my husband and I work,” said Arshiya's mother Aparna Roy, a banker, while keeping an eye on her daughter. “It's a very appreciable arrangement as the kids will get a chance to learn while enjoying,” she said.

Arshiya, meanwhile, screamed with joy as she won a sticker for identifying different fruits.

The fair ground was abuzz with chattering children enjoying the Shishu Prohor or Children's Hours.

The young readers not only got to buy their favourite books but also were enthralled to see favourite characters of TV show Sisimpur's Halum, Ikri and Tuktuki roaming around the premises.

“I love watching Sisimpur on TV and so I bought several story and comic books,” said Samina Akhter Mim, a playgroup student.

While Ahadul Islam, a preschooler, was flipping the pages of a picture book “Sundarboney Banbhojan” (Picnic at the Sundarbans) published by Sesame Workshop, the publisher's staff were busy helping the children with fun-filled activities.

Yesterday being a weekly holiday, long queues were seen in the afternoon at the Bangla Academy and the Suhrawardy Udyan.

Children were also happy to see writer Anisul Hoque during the Children's Hours.

“Shishu Prohor and Shishu Chhattar are very attractive features of the fair for the kids. the School authorities should bring the students here,”Anisul said. “There is no alternative to reading books.”

The book fair also attracted enthusiastic preschoolers who are yet to start learning how to read or write.

Two-year-old Radoa was all smiles as she carried a picture book on fruits and vegetables on one hand while holding her father's finger with the other.

A huge crowd was also seen at the stall of Shilpakala Academy.

Sixth grader Sazid Hossain of St Gregory's High School and College bought a book on general knowledge “Ei Prithibite Manush” while Mubashshira Tabassum, a second grader of Shahid Anwar Girls School, bought a children's newspaper named “Jalpore Pata Nore”.

Books on fairy tales, ghosts, puzzles, alphabets, and cartoons as well as comic books were in high demand among children.

Shishu Prohor is being held Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00am to 1:00pm during the month of the book fair at the Suhrawardy Udyan.

INT'L LITERARY CONFERENCE

The third day of the literary conference started yesterday with a discussion on Bangla poems at Bangla Academy.

Shyamal Kanti Das, a poet from West Bengal, India, and Prof Masuduzzaman presented keynote speech at the programme presided over by poet Asad Chowdhury.

In the afternoon, writers and litterateurs from China, India and Bangladesh took part in a discussion on Bangla literary non-fictions, presided over by Pabitra Sarkar of India.

Yang We Ming Sorna of China sang two songs of Rabindranath Tagore and discussed the Nobel laureate's literary work.

Discussions on “Literatures on the Liberation War” and “Interaction of Literature and Folklore” were held during the last segment of the event.