It is fair to say that the Ekushey Book Fair’s significance is far beyond being just another cultural event but instead, is rightfully seen as a cornerstone of the nation’s intellectual life - a tradition for the month of February that coincides with the spirit of language, identity, and resistance that Ekushey February represents. 

However, while we can understand why the event has been inseparable from the month of February, to hold it during the holy month of Ramadan, is to potentially risk undermining both its cultural resonance and its economic viability.

Indeed, we sympathize with the hundreds of publishers who have called for rescheduling the fair until after Eid, with their concerns legitimate and rooted in practical realities. 

Ramadan is a month of fasting, reflection, and altered routines. Footfall at the fairgrounds will therefore inevitably dwindle, book sales will suffer, and publishers, who are already operating on thin margins, will face losses they can ill afford. For many small presses, the event is the single most important opportunity to reach readers and sustain themselves. As such, to jeopardize that is to jeopardize the increasingly challenging ecosystem of Bangladeshi literature itself.

Once again, we must reiterate that the cultural argument is undeniable: Ekushey is about the Language Movement, about February 21, and about honouring the spirit of sacrifice through words. However, there is also the need to match cultural symbolism with economic sense. 

Rescheduling after Eid would allow the fair to retain its vibrancy, ensure publishers and writers are not penalized, and safeguard the livelihoods tied to this event. A book fair that fails to attract readers, stalls, and sales is unsustainable, and organizers must recognize that tradition and pragmatism can go hand in hand.