Symbolic Book Fair to Commemorate Language Month on February 1st

The Ekushey Boimela Sangram Parishad (Ekushey Book Fair Struggle Council) has announced the organisation of a symbolic book fair to be held within the hallowed grounds of the Bangla Academy on the 1st of February. This initiative is designed to preserve the decades-long tradition of the “Amar Ekushey Boimela,” which has historically commenced on the first day of the month of language.

A Tradition Under Threat

During a press conference held on Thursday afternoon at the Poet Al Mahmud Writer’s Corner, the Council expressed deep dissatisfaction with the interim government’s decision to delay the official fair until the 20th of February. The government cited election-related logistics for the postponement, a rationale that the Parishad argues is unnecessary.

Joint Convener Mofizur Rahman, reading from a written statement, asserted that the decision to truncate the month-long celebration has “angered and disappointed” the nation’s literary and cultural stakeholders. The Council maintains that the fair could have easily begun on its traditional date, with short closures on election day and the days immediately surrounding it.

Details of the Symbolic Event

The symbolic fair is not intended to compete with the official event but rather to ensure that the spirit of the 1952 Language Movement is honoured without interruption. Notable academic and Emeritus Professor Serajul Islam Choudhury is slated to inaugurate the proceedings at 10:30 AM on Saturday.

Cultural Resistance and Dialogue

The struggle to keep the February 1st start date began as early as September, when cultural workers first mobilised against rumours of a schedule change. The Parishad criticised the Cultural Affairs Adviser for failing to consult primary stakeholders—publishers, writers, and readers—before finalising the new dates of 20 February to 15 March.

“This is the largest creative cultural festival in our country,” the statement read, “and we do not expect the interim government, born out of a mass uprising, to bypass the consultation process on such an emotive issue.”

Despite the friction, the organisers clarified that there is no direct hostility with the Bangla Academy. All publishers participating in the symbolic event on February 1st intend to take part in the official state-sponsored fair later in the month. The day-long programme promises to be a vibrant assembly of cultural figures, featuring non-stop performances of music, poetry, and drama, reaffirming the Academy’s role as the epicentre of Bengali heritage.