The opening of Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 has been rescheduled once again for February 26.

Prime minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the annual book fair on the Bangla Academy premises on the day.

The management committee of Amar Ekushey Book Fair announced the new date on Sunday, according to a press release.

According to the last schedule, the fair was to begin on February 25.

According to the press release issued by fair committee member secretary Md Selim Reza, the decision was made at an emergency meeting held at its Shaheed Munier Choudhury Conference Room on the day.

The meeting, chaired by state minister for culture Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam, was attended by ministry of culture secretary Md Mafidur Rahman, Bangla Academy director general Mohammad Azam, representatives of publishers and Bangla Academy officials.

Traditionally, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair opens on the first day of February, but this year the opening was rescheduled due to the 13th parliamentary elections held on February 12.

For different reasons, the day for launching the book fair underwent rescheduling for several times: first it was rescheduled to open on December 17, 2025, then the date was fixed at January 17, 2026; later yet the date was changed again to February 20; and then the date was fixed at February 25.

Meantime, a number of publishers under the banner ‘Prakashak Oikya’ called for boycotting the fair, fearing low sale at the fair as the month of Ramadan, the fasting month for Muslims, was scheduled to begin from February 18.

The fair committee has already announced that the stalls would be free of rent, unlike in other years.

The book fair is scheduled to close on March 15.