Unb, Dhaka

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the month-long Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela -- the marquee event of booklovers and publishers -- today.

The monthlong fair is arranged every year in February, commemorating the sacrifices of eight people who laid down their lives on February 21, 1952 to establish Bangla as the state language of erstwhile East Pakistan.

The fair will be held at Bangla Academy and its adjacent Suhrawardy Udyan till February 29.

The Bangla Academy Literature Award will also be handed at the opening ceremony.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the occasion.

In his message, President Abdul Hamid appreciated dedicating this year’s book fair to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, on the occasion of his birth centenary.

“He was the first person to begin the movement for establishing Bangla as the state language in 1948. Later, Bangabandhu inaugurated national ‘Bangla Literature Conference’ for the first time on the premises of Bangla Academy in 1974,” the president said.

In her message, the prime minister said, “I am glad to know that ‘Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2020’ is being organised like every year, and I send my greetings and felicitations to Bangla Academy, local and foreign publishers and all concerned.”