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.

Homage to Language Movement martyrs in Narail

It was a spectacular sight as 50,000 candles, shaped in Bangla alphabets, were lit in memory of Language Movement martyrs at Narail Government Victoria College on February 21.

Ekushey Udjapan Parishad organised the programme. Language Movement veteran, Rizia Khatun inaugurated the ceremony. A discussion and cultural programme were also held. Advocate Sohrab Biswas, mayor of Narail Municipality; cultural personality Kochi Khondakar; advocate Omar Faruk, secretary of Ekushey Udjapan Parishad; Malay Kundu, convenor of Sammilita Sanstrik Jote and Sharful Alam Litu, commissioner of Narail Municipality, delivered speeches. Professor Munshi Hafizur Rahman presided over the discussion.

Artistes of Sammilita Sanskritik Jote, Narail also rendered folk songs and recited poetry. People in thousands greatly enjoyed the programme. Rtv aired the programme live.

Tempted and threatened, Maimuna joins the gang

A school dropout teen-age girl, tempted by assurance of Tk 100 daily allowance and Tk 5,000 monthly pay, joined a gang of young robbers in the district about a month ago.

The girl, Maimuna Akhter Shilpi, was also threatened with death if she did not join the group.

She said this in her statement under Section 164 to Chandpur Magistrate Md Aminul Islam on February 17.

Maimuna, daughter of Serajul Haque of Raisree village under Shahrasti upazila, told police and magistrate that she stopped going to school when she was a student of class four and she is now 18 years old.

She, however, seemed younger.

“About one month ago, Rubel, Sagar, Anwar, Zakir and Muksed told me to accompany them to rob a house. They said my job would be to knock on the door, address the women of the house as maa [mother], khala [aunty] etc and persuade them to open the door.

“I would secretly go with the gang at night. I took shelter at the targeted house, presenting myself as a helpless girl. I would open the door for the gang members at a suitable time.

“On the first day, five of the gang accompanied by seven to eight unknown robbers who came by hired CNG auto-rickshaws committed robbery at the house of Shafiullah at Chandipur village. On the same night they also robbed two houses at Raisree village,” she said.

On February 4, they went to rob the house of father-in-law of an OC at Panchbasti village in Barura.

As the inmates cried for help, people caught Maimuna while other robbers managed to flee, she said. She was handed over to Barura police who shifted her to Shahrasti Police Station.

Chandpur Superintendent of Police Krishnapada Roy said Maimuna was made accused in the case filed for January 13 robbery incident at the house of Abdul Karim Patwari in Shahrasti upazila.

She was taken on a three-day remand while the other accused in the case are still on the run.