FROM PAGE 12

The premier was speaking at a programme on the Bangla Academy premises marking the opening of the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela.

The Bangla Academy is organising the country’s largest annual book fair on its premises and the adjoining Suhrawardy Udyan.

Talking about the publishers, Hasina said if they become digital publishers, their books can be reached to all people abroad. “People speaking other languages would be able to read the books.”

She directed the Bangla Academy to launch a web portal with the digital versions of its published books for online readers.

Alongside the printed books, it is essential to make audio version of books available in the libraries, the PM added.

Thanking the Bangla Academy for its contribution to translation literature, Hasina said once many people demanded foreign literature not be translated.

“But I favour translation. How can we know other nations, countries and cultures if literature of other languages isnot translated?”

The more Bangla literature will be translated into other languages, the more speakers of different languages will get the scope to read Bangla literature, Hasina added.

“If we can translate our books into other languages, we will be able to advance our mother language Bangla, literature, and culture throughout the world even faster. So, we need to make it happen,” she said.

Referring to her government’s Vision-2041, the premier said Bangladesh would be a smart country in future by making its population, government, economy and society smart.

“If we want to build a smart society, we will have to enrich everything like language, literature and culture,” she said.

Noting that book fairs are now held in districts, the PM said the government would organise book fairs in upazilas in phases.

Mentioning that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered his speech in Bangla at the United Nations General Assembly in 1974, Hasina said Bangabandhu had taken Bangla to the international stage.

At the function, the PM unveiled covers of two books titled “Collected Works of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Volume-2” and “Praner Melay” (written by Sheikh Hasina), published by Bangla Academy.

She also distributed the Bangla Academy Sahitya Puroshkar-2023 among the 16 recipients under 11 categories. Each awardee received a cheque for award money, a crest, and a certificate.

Later, the PM visited some stalls at the book fair.