Boi Mela publishers warn of withdrawal if not compensated

The Amar Ekushey Boi Mela publishers yesterday declared that all book stalls would remain closed from 3:00pm-4:00pm today if Bangla Academy did not promise any compensation for the publishers whose stalls were burnt in Monday's fire.
"If the Academy keeps ignoring the plight of the publishers who lost everything in the fire, we will not open the stalls on February 28 at all," said Alamgir Sikder Loton, president of Bangladesh Publisher and Book Sellers' Association.
He was addressing a press briefing in front of the Information Centre on the Bangla Academy premises yesterday afternoon.
Humayun Kabir, proprietor of Charulipi Publishers, said he had borrowed about Tk 8 lakh to set up the stall in the fair. "Since everything I had was burnt to ashes, there is no way I will be able to pay back the money and run the publishing house like I did before," he said.
The association held a meeting with Bangla Academy Director General Shamsuzzaman Khan last night and put their demands.