Fair means a combination of different people. The fair is held on a temporary basis on a special occasion at a specific time in the village or city level. This fair is not only a traditional means of buying and selling goods, but also a means of entertainment and entertainment. This fair is organized on the occasion of the glorious achievement of a nation or a special day. It is closely related to the timeless tradition of festival-loving Bengalis. Among the various fairs celebrated in the annual life of Bengalis, the one that brings the demand of creation and thinking is the book fair. At the center of this fair is the fair of life.
Although the book was valued in ancient India, it is not known whether it was on display. Originally, the book fair tradition was first developed in ancient Europe. In Greece, the birthplace of ancient Western civilization before the birth of Christ, the works of poets and philosophers were exhibited to the public. But its continuous history is not known. At a special stage in history, in 1482, an official book fair was organized in Frankfurt, Germany. Then with the development of civilization it spread to the countries of the world.
Books are an important means of enlightenment. Reading a lot of books is necessary to increase the eyes of the mind. But the Bengalis were always indifferent towards this important subject. Although enthusiastic, cultured Bengalis built libraries at different times with the financial support of the rich, it is not known when they organized book fairs. In 1971, in the wake of the tragic and shocking incident centered on the mother tongue Bengali, the seeds of self-identity that were sown in the national life of the Bengalis were revived in 1971. Bangla Academy, a proud institution of Bangladesh, a nation-state acquired through the War of Liberation, has been selling its published books at a reduced price since 1971. But first in 1975 the creative publishing company 'Muktadhara' took the initiative of Bangla Academy-centric book fair. The initiative is being expanded by 'Ahmed Publishing House', 'Nowraj Kitabistan' and 'Chalantika Boighar'. As a result, there is a great deal of excitement among book lovers.
On 21 February 1952, the Bangla Academy officially organized a book fair at the academy premises in memory of the great martyrs who sacrificed their lives to establish Bengali as the state language. At present, this Bangla Academy has become the main field of our pure cultural activities, and the book fair celebrated throughout the month of February at Bangla Academy has become a part of our proud contemplative tradition.
The scope of book fairs is expanding every year, the number of book-loving visitors is increasing and space is becoming unrealistic. According to a recent statistic, the number of stalls at the book fair in 1980 was about thirty. In 2011 this number was 558. In 2012, the number of stalls increased to 630. Within the short-range of the academy, it is no longer possible to accommodate the growing number of book lovers. So the academy - part of the adjoining Sehrawardy Udyan or the Dhaka University playground. Experts believe that if the book fair is organized, the visitors and readers will be able to enjoy the book fair with much reliance.
The impact of Book Fair in the national life of Bengalis is immense. This fair creates a festive mood all over the country. The print and electronic media became busy promoting the book fair. Every day the fair broadcasts live programs centered on the fair in various electronic media from the premises. Daily newspapers publish important reports. As a result, throughout the month of February, there was a great interest and enthusiasm in the Bengali public about the Bengali language, literature and culture.
Ekushey Book Fair has become an integral part of Bengali nationality day by day. This is the meeting place of author-reader-publisher. This fair has made the book-loving Bengali nation interested in books. Through this the common man has become thoughtful, cultured and tasteful. Publishers have been keen to publish better books and creative writers are encouraging timeless writing. Book-loving people are also becoming interested in books when they come to book fairs. As a result, the cultural values of the nation are becoming richer day by day. People's moral consciousness is also improving; They are learning to differentiate between good and evil. Moreover, in the troubled city life, this book fair has become a source of pure and pure entertainment for the common man. Therefore, the importance of the book fair in passing the mindset of Bengali nationalism is endless.
The importance of books and book fairs in the development of the contemplative thinking of the nation-consciousness is immense. It is an indispensable means of determining the cultural values of an ethnic group. Therefore, it is vital to organize book fairs at the country and upazila level. For this, effective and fruitful initiatives at government or private level are necessary. Just as the book unites the past and the future with the present, it also makes people beautiful, elegant and cultured.