Mon 4 Feb 2008
As the boimela in Dhaka has started again, in the absence of any new post on it, we are recycling from last year assuming some of our newer reader may have missed it. - admin
I always prefer visiting Bangladesh in February as it gives me an opportunity to visit Boi-mela. As I was in Dhaka this february, I made sure to visit the Boimela.
I picked a week day early afternoon with the hope that the crowd will not yet be that heavy. I was proved wrong as I noticed the end of the line in front of Dhaka museum in Shahbag. A good mile walk from there.
The walk was great. Lot of interesting things around. Like these group of students in the photo below are busy in raising some fund for a sick friend/class mate. Whereelse in the world you will see this sort of empathy?
There was every possible effort to hide the sky from the face of Dhaka. The hordings and banners on the way was corporate business ventures in many occassions.
As I keep on walking, suddenly I discover the embodiment of Bangladesh lying on streetside.
At least the “lamp-post” recalls Humayun Azad.
I was very impressed at the collective patience despite the extremely slow movement of the line under the scorching Sun.
There were plenty of enetertainmnet around for the moving human sea.
After this epic longmarch, as I reached Boi -mela gate, instead of a welcome arch, I was greetd by a metal detector and dozen gun totting, metal detector wielding menacing looking RAB brothers.
Once inside, it was crowd, dust, noise pollution by constant comercials by loud speakers, and behind a thick layer of man and women some book vendors making their sale of the year.
If you want a specific book, you have no way to locate it unless you know who is the publisher and that publisher has a stall in this mela.
The Boimela, I found, is intended to served the interest of Book publishers not readers. Year after year I see accelerated efforts to serve the publishers better than the previous year. e.g. remove and ban non publisher book vendors, disallow selling other publishers books, banning non bangladeshi publishr’s books, absolutely no attempt to make the mela more visitor friendly or reader friendly.
It is a mela commemorating the glory of language Bangla and championing Bengali nationalistic pride, but in this mela you will not find a book of Budhdhodeb Boshu as it was published from “India”.
Hence I refuse to call it Boi mela, I call it ” Bangldeshi Boi-er Bazaar”.
March 27th, 2007 at 3:52 am
Thanks for some insight to Boi Mala with photos. Funniest one: noy khondo porar por preme pagol hote hobe, oh dear…:-)
The pictures are priceless. Shahidul bhai at DRIK would like to have some of these in his collection (the one of the elderly woman taking a nap curbside).
We can thank our bomb loving jongis for the metal detectors.
March 27th, 2007 at 5:34 am
I think in “Ekhushey Boi Mela” we do not sell books from Kolkata publishers because it is not an international book fair. Books that are only published by Bangladeshi publishers and/or books that are written by Bangladeshi writers are displayed, bought and sold in this fair. I find it nothing wrong and it does not also require changing its name to “Bangladeshi Boiyer BAzar”. But it may be a good suggestion to sell books and invite publishers from Kolkata since it is a fair dedicated to Bangla (Bengali) language.
March 27th, 2007 at 11:28 am
The Photographs are great as already stated by Zafa.
I ditto the comments of Tahmina and like to add that “Ekush February” is record of our history and this is a step to raise awareness of our Martyrs n events– it should not be confused with Bangali as Literature.Most of the Books in this mela are based on this history and our culture which is required to be known. Secondly,its an oppurtunity for new,specially young generation writers to be introduced and encouraged. Boshu or other reputable writers would become too competitive for them though I agree that our young writer must read these books to increase their knowledge and writing skills and use superior bengali language. 0ur students of Bengali Literature must be having this priviledge already.
March 28th, 2007 at 7:26 am
“..you will not find a book of Budhdhodeb Boshu..” “..I call it ” Bangldeshi Boi-er Bazaar”.”
Rumi,I think you need to go little back to our history of Laguage Movement. There is a deeply rooted relationship between the ‘Ekusher Boi-Mela’ and the historical event of this Nation, The Language Movement Day. The Boi-Mela is not merely an occasion of selling books, nor is it an event of ‘Trade’. Language Movement Day(ভাষা আন্দোলন দিবস)or Language Martyrs’ Day (শহীদ দিবস )is a national day of Bangladesh to commemorate protests and sacrifices to protect Bengali as a national language during the Pakistani regime in 1952.
Indeed the Language Movement of 1952 to recognize Bangla as a state language was the first step towards independence.
Political and economic deprivation of the Bengalees prompted Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Father of the Nation, to put forward in 1966 his historic six points, the “Magna Carta” which in effect structured the foundation for East Pakistan’s future independence.
The holding of the annual fair (Boi-Mela)on the Academy premises began informally in 1972, a year after the country achieved independence. The event became institutionalised in 1978 and the fair was named “Amar Ekushey Granthamela” to show respect to the Language Movement martyrs.
Co-organised by the Academy and the Bangladesh Book Publishers and Sellers’ Association marking the Language Movement, the fair runs throughout the whole of February.
There are seperate zones for commercial publishing houses, children’s books, the publications of socio-cultural organisations, and NGOs and other organisations of Bangladesh.
I think, its rather justified not selling Indian books in this fair. This is the sole venue as a hub for renowned personalities from the country’s cultural arena throughout the month.Whereas India does not even allow our Sattelite Channels, how far is it justified to advocate for selling/promotion of Indian Books in such an exclusive event of the Nation! (Indian books are anyway available in our markets- you will get those round the year)! Why not to let it be a Truly “Amar Ekushey Granthamela”?
March 28th, 2007 at 7:29 am
Sorry, just forgot to mention that your pics were infact very nice. Anyway, which Camera do you use?
March 28th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
Rintu,
reyr #5 Which Camera do you use?-let me make guess most professionals n specially from abroad ususally choose Nikon- however its not the camera that counts what does is the film and next how the person wants his pictures and then decide on the use of aperture- and then also depends on where the film is developed;thats the most worrying factor in Bangladesh for many photographers.There are a few places that does a good job- abroad most places give the satisfied output.
March 29th, 2007 at 2:06 am
Thanks a lot Phantom! You are right!!
March 29th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Rintu
reyr#7 -You r welcome.
February 4th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Picturers made the Boi Mela a live event. Thanks.
I heard Islamic Book stalls weren’t allowed in the “Akushe Boi Mela.” Can someone confirm it.
February 4th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Vai Abuwardha
Life is not all about religion. Close the dhormo part for the time being and enjoy the Book Fair. If religious book is not available then there are plenty of books in the stalls which you may find more interesting than the religious books.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
bd-watcher,
I appreciate your kindness for choosing books for me. I wish you also respect my choice too.
See it is not the issue of religious books I am questioning. I am actually questioning the mind set of a group of people who thinks they would decide what type of books people should be reading. I am sure you wouldn’t like that for yourself. Unfortunately, there are a few people, who are at the point of extinction in Bangladesh, still, wouldn’t let go of this control. It is about time for those extremist to change.
February 5th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
@Tahmina
Pirated/Fake copies of West Bengal books are sold in many Dhaka bookstores. I realized this after I purchased a Satyajit Ray book in Dhaka which I confirmed as a pirated copy when I saw the same book in a Kolkata bookstore and obviously of much better quality.
I think this could be one reason why bookstores may not be interested in importing West Bengal books, when they can get it cheap from the pirates in BD.
February 7th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
abuwardha #9,
I don’t know what “Islamic book stall” stand for.If you are referring to the Book stall by “Adhunik Prokashani” that sells books written by jamat leaders, here is the news.
Many people are opposing it but the stall is still there and its selling books.
[Dhaka, Feb 7 (bdnews24.com)—The Ekushey Book Fair Thursday hit some buzz of controversy over the selling of books written by Jamaat-e-Islami leaders.
From a press conference, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote, a cultural outfit, criticised Bangla Academy for allotting a stall to Adhunik Prokashani that put the books up for sale at the fair.
The SSJ demanded cancellation of the allotment.
The stall sells books by Jamaat ideologue Mawdudi, the party's former Ameer Golam Azam, Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami and other leaders Abbas Ali Khan, Khaleque Mojumder, Qamaruzzaman and Delwar Hossain Saidee.
The leaders are widely known as having links to 1971 war crimes or blamed for backings for the "war criminals".
Dhaka University teacher Muhammad Samad, also SSJ vice-president, said: "The Ekushey Book Fair is organised in memory of the students and people who shed their blood to uphold the dignity of their mother language."
Samad emphasised that the fair organiser should not have approved a stall to sell the books written by "anti-Liberation and war criminals".
Samad said: "We protest Bangla Academy's decision to allot a stall to the publisher. The stall must be cancelled immediately."
Poet and writer Abu Hasan Shahriar said: "It's a shame on writers, publishers and readers that Bangla Academy has approved a stall for Adhunik Prokashani."
Expressing his surprise at how the books of "identified war criminals" found their way into the Book Fair, poet Humayun Reza told bdnews24.com: "An investigation should be opened into why and how the stall was still there even after the matter came to light."
Imran Ashraf Chowdhury who came to the fair from Uttara told bdnews24.com: "The war criminals don't have the right to participate in the Ekushey Book Fair. They must be tried for war crimes."
"Bangla Academy has committed a crime by allotting a stall to the publisher."
Dhaka University student Javid Iqbal Bangali demanded cancellation of the stall allotment]
February 8th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
I thought Islamist used to do this kind of stuff described in # 13. When the Islamists protested against certain author, cartoonist, intellectual, or some book or poem, how, we, the intellectuals protested? Didn’t we tell that I may not agree with you, but I’ll do everything to protect your freedom of expression/your right to publish/paint/write/draw?