Hundreds throngDhaka Book Fair
The 9th Dhaka Book Fair at the National Parade Ground here is attracting hundreds of book lovers from different parts of the country everyday. Kaleidoscopic book shops from home and abroad are showcasing their intellectual products in 151 Kiosks. Prime Minister Khaleda Zia inaugurated the fair on the first day of this year and declared 2003 as 'Library Year'.
Almost everyday new books are landing in the stalls. Foreign books are on display in the kiosks established by visiting publishers.
Kiosks of Iran Cultural Centre, Japan Foundation, Publishers and Book Sellers Guild of Calcutta, MIDAS and World Health Organisation (WHO) are showcasing books from abroad.
National Book Centre (NBC) officials said last year was a benchmark year for the book-lovers across Bangladesh. Prime Minister Khaleda Zia branded the year 2002 as the 'book year'.
A visitor to the fair Atiar Rahman Labu said the organisers have maintained international standard in organising such a big fair. But he said communication facilities to and from the National Parade Ground is too inadequate and little bit expensive. He urged the authorities to assist visitors by providing less expensive medium of communication (urban commuters).
Noted publisher Tofazzel Hossain said Dhaka Book Fair has special significance like Frankfurt Book Fair, Moscow Book Fair, London Book Fair, Tokyo Book Fair, Cairo Book Fair and New Delhi Book Fair. Dhaka Book Fair, he said, has already occupied space in the international book map.
Director of National Book Centre Poet Mahmud Shafiq said Bangladeshi publishers are pronouncing their identity in a sophisticated way through Dhaka Book Fair.
He said a good government tries to create a good readership. He lauded the BNP government's pro-book policy and said BNP took a stand in favour of creating readers.
He hoped Dhaka Book Fair would create effective bridge between writers, readers and publishers
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