Ekushey Book Fair: The Lost Spirit

Curtain about to fall in Ekushey Book Fair
Despite warning, many came leaving aside the fear.
But the spirit was lost long ago,
Trapping the fair itself in nationalistic ego.

Ekushey Book Fair is about to come to an end. Corona-battered publishers, writers and readers looked forward to this year's event to rejuvenate their activities. However, long before the fair started,Dhaka Metropolitan Police cautioned warning saying it did not rule out any retaliatory terror attack after the court sentenced key suspects, including a runaway stripped of Army major,to capital punishment for the killing of US blogger Avijit Roy.¹In addition, DMP also said it would closely monitor the contents of new books so that they would not stoke any tension. This warning came at a moment when US State Department renewed the bounty on Avijit Roy's killers and a Dhaka Court pronounced verdict on the killers on the run.

But the Fair is dead long ago. What keeps it alive is our passion and enthusiasm. Back in 2019, I wrote a piece titled “Ekushey Book Fair: Regaining The Lost Spirit” on my site https://hoquestake.blogspot.com.² Sharing it again:

…To me, without any intention to hurt anyone, the peerless event lost its spirit many years ago. An event that has the potential to become beacon of Bengali culture trapped itself into the narrow interest of protectionism.

It is a pity that we failed miserably to use this grand event as a platform to bring all the big Bangla publishing names on board and allow them to showcase their works to greater Bengali readers.

It is ridiculous that the success of this event is being measured by the number of titles published and the amount of book sold. Like many nondescript citizens I stay in dark about these titles. Bangla Academy may easily come to our rescue by launching a dedicated website that offers synoptic introduction of these titles.

Or onus of website on book summary can be given to publishers' guild. Enthusiasts will glean information from this website. It is,I think, pretty cheap to reach out the broader readers than through other means.

In some earlier fairs, I observed that Bangla Academy announced top books on various categories and honored the authors and publishers. This year, it appears, this system has been discontinued. I do not know the reason. This selection of top books among the published titles in Ekushey Book Fair will definitely work as a yardstick for good books that readers long for. Similarly, publishers will get an idea what kind of titles they are supposed to publish.

Earlier I had also noticed private e-commerce sites offered special discounts for ordering Ekushey books online. It happened immediately after the book fair had come to an end. This year even that is noticeably absent.

When we were school goers, we saw two back to back fairs.Dhaka International Book Fair preceded the Ekushey Book Fair. It displayed foreign publishers' titles. It has all gone for the last couple of years.

Ekushey does not offer this opportunity to foreign publishers. This is contrary to the very spirit of Ekushey that entails recognition of cultural aspirations in various mother tongue and assimilation of different streams of Bengali cultural movements happening around the world.

There has been a lot hue and cry that the foreign Bengali publishers will capture the market at one fell swoop. Our sky is open, inundation of Hindi and foreign Bengali films and serials did not nonplus our home-grown entertainment industry. Rather we entered into joint collaboration resulting in a noticeable increase in quality contents and introduction of professionalism. On the same token, allowing foreign publishers at home will improve our local publication industry and give the Bengali culture a firm footing to reach out the global audience.

In Ekushey Book Fair, Bangla Academy could easily hold an international corner where foreign Bengali book publishers can display their titles and interact with readers and local publishers and sell the copyright of popular titles to local publishers. This may last for a week or for few days. This step could easily take Ekushey Book fair into a new height. If somehow that is not possible then Bangladesh Publishers' Guild can organize a week-long book fair at a convenient time of the year and invite the top foreign Bengali publishers from other side of the fence.

Unfortunately, Bangla Academy is not doing enough to facilitate collaborative projects that subsume exponents of various countries. This entails recruitment of foreign research /project director, resident scholar and a dedicated team. For instance, it can launch an online reading service of Bengali classics where paid readers can get assistance for retrieving meaning of complex and ancient Bengali words/ phrase using an integrate online dictionary.

Seasonal nature of this fair has contributed to this staggering sales figure. If this fair is about to increase the number of readers and thrive the publication industry, then we have to admit it has nothing special to offer. Libraries are the big buyers of books and they also create readers. Unfortunately, libraries are dying in our country. Government should step forward to help flourish the number of libraries. In many of our neighbouring countries, central and local governments patronize the numerous libraries and library related activities. Even in their annual budget, these governments allot funds for the libraries so that they can purchase books for members. Apart from creating readers, the libraries of this region are playing a far more important role in creating skilled and knowledgeable citizens. Taking cue from neighbours, Bangladesh can set aside funds for libraries across the country and assign government officials, teachers, artists, police and army officers to preside over their activities.

A month-long fair will not revive our publication industry. At the same time confining it within a group of domestic publishers will not usher in a change to readers and publishers. We need to invite foreign publishers and writers to take part in this fair. And most importantly libraries are needed to provide sustenance for the minds of change makers and nation builders.

Notes And References:

1 “Boimelay Jongi Hamlar Shonka Udiye Deya Jai Na(Terrorist Attack In Book Fair Is Not Ruled Out)”,Bangla Tribune,February 13,2022. For more read here

2 “Regaining The Lost Spirit Of Ekushey Fair”,Rezaul Hoque,March 08 ,2019, https://hoquestake.blogspot.com For more read at https://hoquestake.blogspot.com/2019/03/regaining-lost-spirit-of-ekushey-fair.html?m=1

Azad: Advocate Of Individualism

[ A tribute to Prof Humayun Azad on his 74th birth anniversary.]

Advocate of individualism in 56,000 square mile
Criticizes Bengali race and society in his style.
Frank writings never cease to rile
Reactionaries and make bigger his smile.

I first encountered the name "Humayun Azad" when I was in college. Our English Teacher Terence Pinero had thrown out a question to his pupils: "Who is your favorite contemporary writer?" Almost everyone told the names of two brothers who dominated the publishing industry at that time. Then he asked: "Do you want to know the name of my favorite contemporary writer?"

Without waiting for our reply, he said:" He shared the first name of your favorite writer, but has a different title. His name is Humayun Azad. I know many of you haven't heard of him. Do read Azad. No one in our time reads our society and people better than him."

Between the spare time my HSC exam and my admission to the University , I sent a long letter to Subarnarekha, a literary supplement brought out by Daily Ajker Kagoj, without knowing that he edited the supplement. The editor did not get back to me. An interview of him on that page also garnered my attention. I was no literary connoisseur, but his criticism of what is going on around him and the media attention invoked my interest on him.

Back in August 2011, I wrote a piece about him on https://rezaulhoque.wordpress.com .

I had not read much of his works by the time I entered university. My orientation with his works began with "Chappanna Hajar Barga Mile", followed by "Kabi Othoba Dandito Opurush". He was deeply moved by the criminalization of society, decay of values and rise of the Islamists.¹

One afternoon on the second floor of theater building while I was going to attend a class, I met this pleasant looking, plainly dressed professor who was ready to talk to anyone. While he was smoking I inquired about the subject that he was working on. He said, “There are some people who still believe the sun moves around the earth! I’m working on them!!”¹

This is our Azad Sir.

He was never shy to talk openly to a stranger. A rickshaw puller and a man from the upper rung of the society got same importance and reception from him. From head to toe, he was embodiment of an educated gentleman.

Humayun Azad, born in Bikrampur, now Munshiganj and son of a School teacher, was Bangladesh’s leading linguist, writer and a strong critic of the extremists. He did his schooling at Sir JC Bose Institution, set up at the premises of renowned scientist and inventor of radio Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose. His teachers were erudite and had an impeccable style of teaching, reflected in his brilliant result at the national level.

He was no half baked intellectual. He did his PhD in Linguistics at University of Edinburgh. His books on linguistics and Bengali grammar earned him a lot of respect. But campus politics delayed his due promotion and gun violence at campus embittered him about the learning atmosphere prevailed in 80's and 90's. In an essay titled "Jatike Ekhoni Sthir Korte Hobe: Amader Bishwabidyaloyer Dorker Achhe Ki Na?(Decide Now: Do We Really Need University?)" wrote back in 1991 after witnessing a gunbattle at Dhaka University: " From school to University, we would like to see books, blooming of knowledge. University is a grooming ground, not an arms depot. And only learners will stay here, there is no place for gunners. We have to decide now: Do we really need any school, college or university? If we do really need them, then they have to be run accordingly. Otherwise, we may destroy them and engage in our suitable savage acts."² He was however against banning student politics at campus.

He was apolitical. In an interview with Bolaka in 1999, he said:" I don't belong to any political party and never chant any slogan of any party. I do not follow any doctrine, nor do I think day and night how to spread a doctrine. I want profound creativity and ultimate freedom of an individual. I do not like a man being confined into a custom, doctrine or party."³

He was deeply disappointed by the absence of individualism in Bangladesh's budding democracy and one of leading critic to write about it: " To Bengalis, democracy is just like a legend; Bengalis heard of its beauty, but never see it, never hear its voice. Bengalis wanted democracy, but never practiced it in their personal, family, social and political life. A Bengali's life has been controlled by the joint command of feudalism and autocracy. Bengalis spend their domestic and political lives under the shadow of these two medieval axes. In Bengali society, individual has little value. This society values privileged individuals and fake customs a lot. In the democratic system, individual is the supreme thing, individual is the sun of the democratic solar system, individual is sovereign, individual is parliament; family, society, constitution, state and civilization are for individual. In democracy, individual is the truth, individual is as tall as the sky, individual never bends to anyone; everything lies beneath individual's feet. Democracy is the key to blooming of an individual; democratic civilization cannot be built by killing individual. Though Bengalis sacrifice lives for democracy, they are far away from democratic civilization."(Source: Jati Songsodio Ba Dolio Shoirotantro Chai Na( Nation Does Not Want A Parliamentary or Tribal Autocracy))²

Azad sir detested jingoistic nationalism. And in several of his writings he laid it bare and underscored that such nationalism is a perennial source of sickness of a society.

But it was his criticism of his own race, taking the baton from Nirod C Chowdhury who was equally unforgivable to Bengalis and dressed them down at every occasion, that made him popular and drew a lot of attention from Bengali readers.

Azad Sir put forward reasons for criticizing his own race. He said in an interview accorded to Natun Diner Dandhane on June 3 ,1992: " Bengalis have not created a civilized state yet, let alone a developed and just society. I have right to criticize the Bengalis, but I do not have right to criticize other races. That is why I am critical to my race."³

He was conspicuously outspoken and took great pride in his works, which he really deserved. This, however, made him very unpopular among his peers.

His sharp political commentary about what was going on around him and the growing radicalization in Bangladesh caused lots of anger among the radical establishment.

His work " Pak Sar Zamin Saad Baad which was later banned by the Government of Bangladesh, made the extremists furious and led a radical member of parliament, also an infamous war criminal, Delwar Hossain Sayedee, now sentenced to imprisonment for life for War Crimes, to raise the issue of introducing Blasphemy law in the parliament in 2004. Just a week later, while he was on his way back home from Ekushey Book Fair, a bunch of medieval thugs attacked him with kitchen tools. He survived the attack, but he was so traumatized by the incident that it ultimately caused his death in Munich, where he was doing a research on German Poet Heinrich Heine.¹

I willfully avoided highlighting some of the important issues that Azad Sir pondered and worked as we have been going through an awful time . In this time , such discussion may give rise to fresh bout of bitterness and hostile feelings among certain quarter.

It is a pity that I will never see this simple but brilliant man at the gate of New Market or at the lecture theatre of Dhaka University. Unlike his writings, his very appearance radiates joy and makes one more optimistic. He was one of the brilliant graduates his alma mater ever produced and the Bengalis should be proud of him and his works.

With his demise, Bangladesh lost a great linguist and writer of our time. He was born much ahead of his time and in a regressive society like our ones very few were ready to hear what he tried to say. I think, in future, at our difficult times we will have to recourse to his writings.

-----------------------------------------------

Notes and References:

1. A Man Ahead of His by Rezaul Hoque.https://rezaulhoque.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/a-man-ahead-of-his-time/

2. Protikreashilotar Dirgho Chhayar Niche(Under The Long Shadow of Reactionary Forces) by Humayun Azad.

3. Ekush Amader Aghoshito Shadhinata Dibash(Twenty First February Is Our Undeclared Independence Day).Anthology of interviews of Humayun Azad.

La Semaine Dernière A Mes Yeux

(11 décembre --- 18 décembre)

un reportage, le gouvernement a changé la décision d' annuler la Foire du livre qui aura lieu à l'occasion de la journée de la langue maternelle, 21 février, l'année prochaine. Les maisons d' édition ont fortement opposé la décision. Elles ont mis l'accent sur décalage du commencement de la Foire.

Selon un reportage, la Foire de la commerce qui aura lieu en janvier a été décalé de deux mois. Covid-19 a joué un rôle dans le décalage.

Selon un reportage, un bateau «MV Aijdihar» et 7 marins bangladais se sont échoues à Bandar Abbas en Iran. Le patron de bateau est un Américain, originaire de Pakistan. Les marins bangladais sont montés au bateau depuis le port de Mongla. Le bateau n'est pas en bon état. Donc, l'autorité iranienne a saisi le bateau.

Selon un reportage, le gouvernement a prolongé la fermeture dans les établissements scolaires jusqu'au 16 janvier à cause de Covid-19.

La Semaine Dernière A Mes Yeux

(21 février --- 28 février)
Selon un reportage, RAB a appréhendé un assassin présumé depuis Mohammedpur.  Il était fidèle d'un barron de criminels. Ce Barron s'installe à Dubaï.

Selon un reportage, une voiture a écrasé 18 gens dans le trottoir devant l'hôpital à Kurmitola, Dacca.

Selon un reportage, un Bangladais a été détecté coronavirus positive aux Émirats arabes unis. 5 Bangladais se sont trouvés avec coronavirus positive au Singapour.

Selon un reportage, un soldat licencié depuis l'Armée de la terre est revenu chez lui. Il restait disparu  pour 18 mois.

Selon un reportage, l'armée de la mer a appréhendé 18 Sri Lankais depuis mer de Bengale.

Selon un reportage, l'air bangladaise a été qualifiée la plus polluée dans le monde par IQ Air qui se situe en Suisse. Dacca a été aussi classé comme la deuxième ville polluée dans le monde.

Selon un reportage, une cour bangladaise a interdit deux livres après un homme avait déposé plainte contre les livres. Il les a accusé d'avoir heurté le sentiment religieux.

O Python, Where Are You?

I have lost a python,
Representing an era bygone,
From my alphabet book.
They come to the fair,
Leafing book not to brook
Publication deemed don't care
Other people's sentiments.
Teachers' blood, bloggers' blood,
Flooded the path and pavements.
Yet the fair is on and sales flood.
But the door is shut for publishers,
Hailing from other side of the fence .
To groom pure learners,
Textbook by others is an offence.
On how to make better mind
They still take a good look.
I say be kind,
If found, please return
The python to alphabet book.

Curtain of Ekushey Book Fair is about to drop. The state of such a peerless event caused a mixed reaction. Many lament about its glorious past and vibrant years. Others still optimist about a bright future.This pretty old fair still radiates an aura of its fledgling years. Professionalism is not there, amateurs roam around with august writers and veil of protectionism envelopes the mood of the fair. In recent years a new feature has been added: vice policing has been introduced to check for "sacrilegious contents".

I wrote many posts about the fair. Two years ago I even interviewed stall owners and Bangla Academy officials about the nature of the fair and book sales. Response I got revealed a fair that can be best described as amateurism. Staggering number of published titles is unbelievable, so is the amount of money.

Absence of Kolkata based publishers is another feature of this fair in spite of the fact that 21st February earned the recognition of International Mother Language Day. Kolkata based writers and publishers are popular in this part of the world. Popular dailies here are often named after the novels written Kolkata based novelists. Culture and literature of this country took a direct hit of the ugly face of communal divide. Subtle idea of "us vs them" was introduced immediately after independence and carefully cultivated to popularize a so called " Bengali Muslim Mind" and "Bengali Muslim Literature". This school of thought has gained so much ground in this country that the more ugly face of them managed to amend school text books to get rid of literary works of Hindu poets and writers of undivided Bengal.

In one of my bus rides, I noticed a fellow passenger leafed through an introductory alphabet book(Bangla) for his school going toddler. When I was at that age, I read books where the first alphabet, "Shareo O", was introduced like this "Shareo O te Ojogor"("Shareo O" for python).That cute looking, innocent python from my alphabet book is gone. Picture of a boy performing ablutions took its place. Python, from its habitat in nearby forest to alphabet book, finally gave in to the relentless struggle to build a "Bengali Muslim Mind".

Marketing of this concept now pays the dividend. The Bangladeshi publication industry is concentrated into the hands of the few. A decade ago we had various weeklies, dailies and specialized periodicals brought out by various publication houses. Now only few hold sway in that industry. Many writers dominating that industry churn out books, which never make their way into the shelf of their daughters and wives living abroad or taught in English medium schools. Since a great deal of emotion attached to this fair, a ritualistic selling spree does the trick. Rest of the year , you do not see any book review, advertisement of books on key dailies. Even no dedicated book reviewing publication, like the one exists in Kolkata, is brought out by any publication house. When I read popular dailies and books published in Kolkata , I am amazed by craftsmanship and scholarship displayed in those concise sentences imbued with an array of words ( mostly from Persian, Sanskrit and Urdu roots) that you cannot find in any of the contents published here. They could construct those sentences because they have ease of access to those kind of publications that replenish and shape their minds. Our readers and writers do not have that kind of access.

What we are seeing in literature and publication industry is a new kind of colonialism where most of these writers, whose dear ones hardly touch their books and live abroad, feed the commoners' mind some works that never vie for competition emanating from other side of the fence.

Source: Leading Dailies

As the oligarchy has reached its peak, we see books airbrushing the history, custom-made publications glutted the stalls. Overwhelming number of book sales did not tell the whole story. I gathered data on published titles and book sold over the last one decade by digging the news reports. In 2008, 2578 titles were published and Tk 20 cores worth of books were sold. In 2018, 4591 titles were unveiled and Tk 70.94 crores worth of books were sold. There has been a surge in books published and books sold in spite of a series of rigid measures like ICT Act amendment, introduction of National Broadcast Policy, banning books deemed controversial to a certain quarter and vice policing. One may question published contents and its type in the face of this fear-mongering steps. I constructed a dummy regression to see whether this kind of intervention reflected in book sales.

Books_i = a₁+a₂D_i+b₁Published_i+b₂D_iPublished_i+u_i

where

Books_i = amount of books sold in the fair. Published _i = number of books published in the fair,
D_i = 0 when the year is prior to 2013
= 1 when the year is after 2013

Prior to the model, I checked for autocorrelation as the data is time series in nature. Durbin-Watson statistic hinted no autocorrelation. (d= 1.5126 for 11 observations and 1 explanatory variable).

So I did not transform the model and ran the usual regression. It looked like this

Books_i = 7.368-95.40D_i+0.0046Published_i+0.0305D_iPublished_i

F test( a₂=b₂=0) was found to be significant (F=5.315, p=0.032 for degree of freedom =3,7), insinuating structural change in the regression. However, individual probe revealed that intercept a₁(t=0.159, p= 0.877), differential intercept, a₂(t=0.310, p= 0.76), slope coefficient, b₁(t=0.31, p=0.765) and differential slope coefficient, b₂(t=1.69, p= 0.134) appeared to be insignificant. So there was lack of evidence that structural change took place in the regression equation. Had the parameters changed, then the regression equation finally might look like:
Books_i = (7.368-95.40)+(0.0046+0.0305)Published_i =-88.04+0.0351Published_i

The stat analysis did not endorse this. So there was lack of evidence to see the differential effect of books published on books sold in the period of blogger killing spree and rigid laws.

From 2012 to 2015, book sold in the fair declined. Those years were politically violent and law & order situation deteriorated. Whatever the stat says , there is no gainsaying that our publication industry has been going through a degeneration phase. Current veil of protectionism is just the grist to that school of thought's mill.

A regressed society cannot question elites' conduct and whimsical actions. It is a docile instrument at the hands of elites that have little respect for people's opinion and verdict.

New ideas, innovation, urge to change are conspicuously absent in that society. Current state of our society is a reminder that we have already slided into that grim reality. To build a society that can withstand challenges of the time and to make sure budding minds meet more refined minds, veil of protectionism should be discarded. Bringing back the python to my alphabet book could be the first step.

Regaining The Lost Spirit Of Ekushey Fair

Curtain fell for this year's Ekushey Book Fair. To me, without any intention to hurt anyone, the peerless event lost its spirit many years ago. An event that has the potential to become beacon of Bengali culture trapped itself into the narrow interest of protectionism.

It is a pity that we failed miserably to use this grand event as a platform to bring all the big Bangla publishing names on board and allow them to showcase their works to greater Bengali readers.

It is ridiculous that the success of this event is being measured by the number of titles published and the amount of book sold. Like many nondescript citizens I stay in dark about these titles. Bangla Academy may easily come to our rescue by launching a dedicated website that offers synoptic introduction of these titles.

Or onus of website on book summary can be given to publishers' guild. Enthusiasts will glean information from this website. It is,I think, pretty cheap to reach out the broader readers than through other means.

In some earlier fairs, I observed that Bangla Academy announced top books on various categories and honored the authors and publishers. This year, it appears, this system has been discontinued. I do not know the reason. This selection of top books among the published titles in Ekushey Book Fair will definitely work as a yardstick for good books that readers long for. Similarly, publishers will get an idea what kind of titles they are supposed to publish.

Earlier I had also noticed private e-commerce sites offered special discounts for ordering Ekushey books online. It happened immediately after the book fair had come to an end. This year even that is noticeably absent.

When we were school goers, we saw two back to back fairs.Dhaka International Book Fair preceded the Ekushey Book Fair. It displayed foreign publishers' titles. It has all gone for the last couple of years.

Ekushey does not offer this opportunity to foreign publishers. This is contrary to the very spirit of Ekushey that entails recognition of cultural aspirations in various mother tongue and assimilation of different streams of Bengali cultural movements happening around the world.

There has been a lot hue and cry that the foreign Bengali publishers will capture the market at one fell swoop. Our sky is open, inundation of Hindi and foreign Bengali films and serials did not nonplus our home-grown entertainment industry. Rather we entered into joint collaboration resulting in a noticeable increase in quality contents and introduction of professionalism. On the same token, allowing foreign publishers at home will improve our local publication industry and give the Bengali culture a firm footing to reach out the global audience.

In Ekushey Book Fair, Bangla Academy could easily hold an international corner where foreign Bengali book publishers can display their titles and interact with readers and local publishers and sell the copyright of popular titles to local publishers. This may last for a week or for few days. This step could easily take Ekushey Book fair into a new height. If somehow that is not possible then Bangladesh Publishers' Guild can organize a week-long book fair at a convenient time of the year and invite the top foreign Bengali publishers from other side of the fence.

Unfortunately, Bangla Academy is not doing enough to facilitate collaborative projects that subsume exponents of various countries. This entails recruitment of foreign research /project director, resident scholar and a dedicated team. For instance, it can launch an online reading service of Bengali classics where paid readers can get assistance for retrieving meaning of complex and ancient Bengali words/ phrase using an integrate online dictionary.

Seasonal nature of this fair has contributed to this staggering sales figure. If this fair is about to increase the number of readers and thrive the publication industry, then we have to admit it has nothing special to offer. Libraries are the big buyers of books and they also create readers. Unfortunately, libraries are dying in our country. Government should step forward to help flourish the number of libraries. In many of our neighbouring countries, central and local governments patronize the numerous libraries and library related activities. Even in their annual budget, these governments allot funds for the libraries so that they can purchase books for members. Apart from creating readers, the libraries of this region are playing a far more important role in creating skilled and knowledgeable citizens. Taking cue from neighbours, Bangladesh can set aside funds for libraries across the country and assign government officials, teachers, artists, police and army officers to preside over their activities.

A month-long fair will not revive our publication industry. At the same time confining it within a group of domestic publishers will not usher in a change to readers and publishers. We need to invite foreign publishers and writers to take part in this fair. And most importantly libraries are needed to provide sustenance for the minds of change makers and nation builders.

Losing The Soft Power

With much fanfare another Ekushey Book Fair has started at the heart of Bangladesh's cultural Mecca. The ritualistic buying spree will continue for a month and a noticeable feature is absence of Indian Bengali book publishers who are reputed for bringing out quality contents and more professional in their dealings. For the last few years, a form of vice policing has also been put in place. Its goal is to seize any published contents that deemed taboo or not compliant with standard set by authority.

However, there is no short of contents. Stalls are glutted with books. Many of them are published to pander to the seasonal desire of local readers or with the money of amateur writers.

Of the crowd that thronged the fair every year, kids and adolescents constitute a larger part. In their fledgling years, books nourish their minds and build the repository on how to express their thoughts and ideas. Lack of good Bangla books hampers that process. Libraries that once stored these good books are dying. So are the sources to replenish the repository of young minds. Another source is the leading dailies. But only negligible few produce quality contents and provide space to writers from across the border. Some bought copyright of the their works and reprinted them here. Even that is not replicated widely.

By barring the foreign publishers in this fair we deprive the readers of good books and somehow slows down this process of sentence construction, articulation and argument making.

Given the seasonal nature of our publication industry, our publishers have never been professional and are far from ready to publish the quality contents in great quantity.

This book fair could have been a great platform to showcase all the Bengali books , published anywhere in the world. The grown stature of 21 February entails this global participation. Senseless protectionism creates obstacle even giving the fair a regional representation.

But the opposite is expected since Bangladesh is the sole country in the world that houses more Banglaphone speakers than any other country and is the beacon of Bengali culture. So it is a dream for those to showcase their works or perform their works in Bengali in front of the Banglaphones. Similarly a recognition to these Banglaphone writers and artists from the part government or private organizations will lift the status of Bangladesh among the league of countries that are connoisseurs and patrons of arts. Writers and artists in Anglophone and Francophone countries still long for and value awards and prizes provided by literary bodies or cultural or private organizations in those respective countries.

Unfortunately communal division runs so deep in the two factions of British Bengal that it casts an overarching shadow over our culture.In other parts of the subcontinent cultural relations between the countries are not so scornful. Despite regular clashes and casualties on both sides, Indian films are not banned in Pakistan. Urdu literature is flourishing in India. Kolkata still offers space for Urdu poets. And Bengalis in general highly value any awards from Kolkata, be it in any discipline of literature and arts.

Net result of this cultural division in Bengal is that the Bengali publication industry is at low ebb, Banglaphone writers and artists find it very hard to reach a broader class, creating knowledge and its dissemination in Bangla language has reached a dead end as very few books are written in Bangla at tertiary level education.

Far reaching damage is inflicted on economic front. Our cultural market shrinks. So is our cultural influence. Despite significant presence of Bengali diaspora in all major cities in the world , this division holds us back from having influence over literary and entertainment markets in those countries. What is worst back home we are losing our domestic audiences as well as market to foreign TV serials.

In their daily lives Bengal's thriving middle class incorporates enough ingredients that can make an impression on global audience. At the same time, its literature and entertainment industry catering to the need of typical Bengali mind that is progressive could also reach a welcoming audience in other countries, particularly the Muslim ones.

A regimented quarter in our country reinvented this "us versus them" in Bengali culture and weakened the cultural bonding. Generations representing the unified culture and divided one offer a striking contrast. Those who grew up in undivided Bengal outshined the ones grew up in divided Bengals in their respective fields and many found a global turf.

Even in the divided cultures, the one that is open and liberal creates enlightened society and highly qualified citizens. Just start counting the names and compare.

Spirit of Ekushey entails that our cultural events offer potpourri of artistic works.We need to discard this protectionist stance the day February 21 was declared international mother language day.Pursuing this protectionism in cultural arena for far too long only weakens our cultural leverages. By not allowing more qualified Bengalis from across the border in media, academic and publication industry we are gradually losing this soft cultural power. And our readers, particularly the young ones, do not get the chance to relish the sophisticated works of refined and superior Bengali minds.