Prime Minister Tarique Rahman yesterday inaugurated the month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 at the Bangla Academy premises in Dhaka, proposing to transform it into an international event in the coming years and reaffirming efforts to secure United Nations recognition of Bangla as an official language.
The fair, themed “Multidimensional Bangladesh,” opened to visitors immediately after the prime minister’s announcement and will continue until March 15.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the prime minister said the government would continue efforts to secure recognition of Bangla as an official UN language.
He also floated the idea of elevating the fair to an international platform.
“In time, we may consider whether the Amar Ekushey Book Fair could be organized as the Amar Ekushey International Book Fair,” he said, emphasizing the need to strengthen reading habits and increase research-based publications.
He said an international edition of the fair would provide greater exposure to world literature and foster understanding of different languages and cultures.
“In today’s global village, familiarity with our mother tongue as well as other languages is essential,” he said.
Highlighting the fair’s historic significance, the prime minister noted that while book fairs are held around the world, Amar Ekushey carries a unique identity rooted in Bangladesh’s Language Movement and the struggle to establish Bangla as the state language.
He also urged reflection on whether the expansion of the fair’s physical footprint has been matched by growth in research-based books and readership.
Stressing the need to build a knowledge- and talent-based society, he underscored the importance of science, technology, skills and research in achieving national prosperity.
A total of 549 publishing houses are participating in this year’s fair, 81 at Bangla Academy and 468 at Suhrawardy Udyan, comprising 1,018 units.
Additionally, 87 little magazine stalls have been set up at the Little Magazine Square near the open stage at Suhrawardy Udyan, while 63 organizations are participating in the Children’s Square.
The fair will remain open from 2pm to 9pm on weekdays, with entry closing at 8pm. On weekends and public holidays, it will operate from 11am to 9pm.
Thematic seminars will be held daily at 3pm on the main stage, followed by cultural programs at 4pm.
A “Children’s Hour” will take place every Friday and Saturday from 11am to 1pm.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police has implemented comprehensive security measures to ensure safety throughout the fair.
Organizers have pledged to host a “zero-waste” and environmentally conscious edition of the country’s largest literary gathering.
The ceremony began at 2pm with the national anthem, recitations from religious scriptures and a one-minute silence in memory of the martyrs of the Language Movement, the Liberation War and the July mass uprising.
The prime minister formally inaugurated the fair at 3:12pm. He later visited several stalls and purchased books.
The Bangla Academy Sahitya Puroshkar 2026 was conferred on nine individuals for their outstanding contributions to Bangla literature:
Nasima Anis — Fiction
Syed Azizul Haque — Essays and Prose
Hasan Hafiz — Children’s Literature
Ali Ahmad — Translation
Mustafa Majid and Israil Khan — Research
Farseem Mannan Mohammedy — Science
Moidul Hasan — Liberation War Studies
Professor Abul Kashem Fazlul Haq, chairman of Bangla Academy, presided over the session.
Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, State Minister Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam, Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Mofidur Rahman and Bangla Academy Director General Prof Mohammad Azam also addressed the event.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was accompanied by his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and daughter Barrister Zaima Rahman.
Cabinet members, members of parliament, eminent citizens, writers, publishers, and senior civil and military officials were also present.
This year, the fair commenced later than usual -- at the end of February instead of February 1 -- due to the national election held on February 12.
