Booklovers throng fair venue

Crowds of curious booklovers flocked to Bangla Academy yesterday for the second day of the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela.
Booksellers are reportedly expecting huge crowds to attend the national book fair over the next few days.
Law enforcers were kept on their toes throughout the afternoon as visitors poured in through the two entry points to the fair.
Thirty-seven new books covering a wide range of genres, including novels, poetry, essays, research texts, biographies, and accounts of the Liberation War, were launched yesterday.
Many visitors bought books and others said they would make purchases during subsequent visits.
Booklover Tarana Tabassum said, "I usually buy books after visiting several times. I was only here today to have a look and I will decide what to buy on subsequent visits."
Ahmed Reza, who was browsing the collection at Sheba Publication, said he and his friends look forward to the annual fair because it provides an opportunity to meet with writers and well-known people.
Many publishers said that it is too early to evaluate sales, but they expressed hope that the participation of readers would increase day by day.
The new titles to arrive at the fair yesterday included "Bhasha Shikkha O Bhasha Parichiti" and "Pronominalisation of Bengali" by Humayun Azad, a collection by Ahmad Sharif "Ajgubi Raat" by Syed Manzurul Islam, "Srabon Sandhytuku" by Imdadul Haq Milon, "Adhunik Putul Nacher Itikotha" by Abdul Mannan Syed, "Bhut Samagro" by Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, "Pronito Jibon" by Syed Shamsul Haq and "Shuvro Gechhe Boney" and "Kath Pencil" by Humayun Ahmed.