Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair-2021 on Bangla Academy premises and at Suhrawardy Udyan virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban at 3pm today.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the book fair on March 18 at 3 pm virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban,” Dr Jalal Ahmed, director of Bangla Academy and member secretary of Ekushey Book Fair Committee, told a press conference on Tuesday.
At the inaugural function, the Prime Minister will unveil the book ‘New China-1952’, the English version of ‘Amar Dekha Naya Chin’ written by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Besides, the premier will also hand over the prizes among the recipients of the Bangla Academy Literary Award-2020.
Bangla Academy President Prof Shamsuzzaman Khan will preside over the inaugural function while Bangla Academy director general Habibullah Siraji will deliver the welcome speech at the function.
Though the month-long fair is usually held in February commemorating the 1952 Language Movement, this year the fair has been delayed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, the 28-day long book fair, which is supposed to be continued till April 14, can be shut down anytime, if the pandemic situation gets worse, said State Minister for Culture Affairs KM Khalid at the press conference.
