A group of publishers have said that they will boycott the forthcoming Amar Ekushey book fair 2026 if it is held during the fasting month of Ramadan.

They said that 321 publishers who had been demanding to begin the fair after Ramadan will boycott the 23-day fair if the scheduled date, February 20, for beginning it was not changed, said a press release signed by Mazharul Islam of Anyaprokash on Sunday.

These 321 publishers are among the 527 publishing houses that were allocated stalls and pavilions in the forthcoming book fair.

The month of Ramadan is expected to begin on February 18 or February 19, depending on the sight of the moon.

The publishers urged the authorities to reschedule the fair after Eid-ul-Fitr to ensure the industry’s stability.

They, at a press conference in Dhaka on February 2, urged the government to ensure rent free stalls, launching a ‘book incentive’ for students, and purchasing 300 copies of each standard book.

On February 5, the organizing committee of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 confirmed that the forthcoming fair would begin on February 20.