Book Fair sees few visitors

The country's largest month-long book fair on Wednesday wore a gloomy and deserted look due to thin presence of visitors.
Publishers and the sales representatives thought that due to hot weather, inappropriate fair schedule and lockdown across the country, a few book lovers came to the fair on the premises of Bangla Academy and Shuhrwardy Uddyan.
Besides, almost all of the students of universities, colleges and schools went home from the very outset of the corona virus spread. Other than this, a large number of book lovers left Dhaka City before the second time lockdown started.
The stall attendants said the number of visitors began to come down from the first day of the lockdown.
On the second day of the lockdown on Wednesday, the fair witnessed a few visitors as the mass transport began to start again in the city.
Apart from this, hot weather also contributed to the thin presence of book lovers at the fair.  The publishers resentfully said the decision about the fair opening schedule taken by the authorities was inappropriate.
In March and April, the weather is not suitable for visiting the book fair, especially for the children and older people.
At 12 noon no visitors come due to hot weather, said Dip Halder, a sales representative of Anya Prokash who was reading book in his stall.
He added that after 3:30 pm, some visitors start to come, browse books and buy books. He expressed dissatisfaction with the fair schedule.
Ferdaws Khan, a sales representative of Oitijjya Publishing House, told the Daily Observer that most of the visitors like history-based books such as Liberation War, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and contemporary national and international politics. On the other hand, books of Dr Salimullah Khan and Ahmed Sofa are high on sale, added Amirul Islam, Publishing Assistant of Agamee Prakashani.
Tamanna Akhter, sales representative of Prothom Prokashan sorrowfully said the sale was very low if it was compared with the previous days.
Sixty nine books hit the fair on Wednesday (April 7).