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Record thin presence at Ekushey book fair

AmENA Khatun
Only one entrance was open to the visitors while two others were locked at the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela which is very unlikely scene for the fair in comparison with any other day as most booklovers did not dare visi l the fair.
No new titles were unveiled at the Nazrul Mancha, information centre was empty and no visitors were on the seat to enjoy the cultural programme on the makeshift stage on the academy premises.
It was an unfamiliar scene at the fair venue yesterday as Amar Ekushey Boi Mela witnessed the smallest crowds of its history following the gunfights between rebel BDR members and army men at the BDR headquarters at Pilkhana. Around 60 stalls were kept shut down till evening.
Panic griped the visitors, readers and publishers and the surrounding areas of the academy were seen almost empty.
"At least three hours have past but no visitors have come to our stall yet to buy or browse books, while on the other days minimum hundred people crowd the place during these hours," said Mustakim, a bookseller of Spandan Publication.
Murshid Anwar, deputy director of public relations department at the academy, told journalists, “Hearing the news of gunfights at Pilkhana, the authorities decided to lock the two other entrances to visitors to ensure their safety as one stray bullet fell in front of one gate at the early noon."
“Besides, a panic situation was prevailing among the publishers following the incident as many of them delayed to the fair,” he added.
Athoi, a student of Holy Cross CoDege, who arrived at the fair along with her brother, returned home from the fair buying a couple ofbooks by Anisul Hoque titled 'Ma'and 'Shey'.
"My mother forbade me to visit the fair today, but I had to come as these are the last days of the fair." she said with a bit thrill in her voice forventuringto come in such a day ofpandemonium.
“No crowds and no hawkers are there to our annoyance. So, I can easily move from one stall to another to browse my desired books today which would be mere impossible on other days as the f^fr draws huge crowds," said, Ma Agui who. came to buy1 some ‘ purposes.
The new books published last week include ’Britter Opare Jhumka PhuT a recitation collection by Kamrul Hasan Manju. Tchchhe Puron' by Mahrnuda Selina, 'Otit Diner Smrity' by Sanjeda Khatun, 'Jagrata Bangladesh’ by Ahmed Safa, 'Prakity Mangai' by Dijen Sharma and 'Palashi Theke Dhanmondi' by Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury.