Self-publishing author finds publisher

The elderly writer, who had been publishing his own books and taking those to stalls at Ekushey book fair for the last 20 years, has finally found a publication house keen on his work.

Noticing the photo of Dr Foyzur Rahman Al-Siddique (86) at the book fair on social media, Tanvir Ahmed Mishuk, Managing Director of mobile financial transaction service Nagad met him and took the initiative to publish his book from Bangla Prokash.

"I have taken the writer's permission to publish his book officially on Monday night," Mishuk said in a press release yesterday.

Bangla Prokash Managing Director M Shariful Alam said the book, titled "Bangalir Joy, Bangalir Berthota" [Success and Failure of Bengalis], will be available from next week at their stall at the fair.

"After reading the book, I realised that it should be presented to a wider section of book lovers," he added.

Meanwhile, retail supershop chain Swapno has decided to sell the book at all its premium outlets, after finding out about Dr Foyzur through social media, its Head of Business Mahadi Faisal said in a press release yesterday.

Many newspapers, including The Daily Star, had published reports on the endeavours of Dr Al-Siddique, a former researcher and scientist of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), after  a photo of him standing in front of a stall at the book fair went viral on social media on February 9. The picture showed him going past a book stall carrying three bags, a single book in his hand.

"Failing to find a publication house, I have been printing 150 to 200 copies every year and selling the books at the book fair," said Siddique, also a former director of Nuclear Science Research Institute (NSRI).

Born in 1934 at Nawabganj of Dhaka, Siddique graduated in chemistry from Dhaka University, and received his PhD from Cambridge University, UK.