2,567 titles hit Ekushey book fair so far

Collections of poems dominate new arrivals

Some 2,567 new titles hit Ekushey book fair till Monday with only five days left for end of the month-long event being held on the Bangla Academy premises.

Collections of poems topped the list of new books followed by novels, while four complete works and a dictionary on different religious faiths also hit the fair till date.

According to the statistics provided by the information centre of the fair, the total number of new titles so far released in the fair is 2,341.

A total of 549 books of poems, 443 novels and 284 story books have arrived in the first three weeks of the fair. Some 185 books for children also arrived during the period.

Besides, 181 collections of essays, 88 rhymes, 79 biographies, 67 research books, 65 books on liberation war, 59 titles on science, 46 travelogues, 45 titles on politics, 37 titles on history, 35 on translation, 27 on satire, 24 on medical science and 23 on religion also were among the list of new arrivals.

Thirteen new books on science fiction and on computer, 12 books on drama and dramatics are also available at the fair.

The fair witnessed low turn-out of visitors on Monday. Arrival of new books also decreased on the day as most of the publishers have already brought their books.

‘We have brought all the new titles that were said to be published for this year’s fair,’ Rajib Noor, executive publisher of Pathsutro, told New Age.

At least 80 new titles hit the fair on the day, while the information centre reported arrival of 74 titles including 17 books of poems, 13 novels, 12 story books and six books for children.

Seventeen new titles were launched at the fair venue on the 23rd day of the fair.

Economist and writer Quazi Khaliquzzaman Elias, poet Mahadev Saha, researcher Asad-ullah-Al-Hossain, rhymester Abu Saleh and actor Jayanta Chattopaddhyai, among others, attended book launching ceremonies.

The stall of Best Way Foundation continued to flout fair rules as it is stilling books without having any signboard.

A cultural function was held at the fair venue in the evening as part of the Bangla Academy’s regular programme.