Amar Ekushey Boi Mela: How politics encroached on free thought

Every year, Suhrawardy Udyan and the Bangla Academy premises in the capital come alive with thousands of book lovers and the aroma of new books. The event, which commemorates the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement, serves as a symbol of the nation's resilience in preserving its linguistic and cultural heritage.

However, behind the festivities lies a tale of frustration. Like many other sectors, this haven for free thought has not been immune to political influence.

Let's rewind to 2023, just two years ago. As always, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair was eagerly awaited with much anticipation. Hundreds of publishers were allotted stalls, except for one well-established and popular publishing house, Adarsha Prokashoni. Their 'offence' was publishing three books that criticised the then-ruling Awami League government.

The books were authored by Zia Hasan, Faham Abdus Salam, and Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb. However, Faham's book Bangalir Mediocrityr Sondhane (In search of Bangalis' mediocrity) faced the most objections from Bangla Academy. 

Adarsha has published nearly 600 books to date. Mahbub Rahman, the CEO of Adarsha, had said it was unfair to deny them a stall based on just three of those books.

The issue sparked widespread debate on social media, with most people voicing their support for Adarsha. The matter eventually escalated to the court. Adarsha was later granted a stall on the condition that the mentioned books would neither be sold nor displayed. Even in last year's fair, in 2024, the three books remained banned.

The politicisation of the book fair and Bangla Academy did not happen overnight. But this incident served as glaring evidence that even Bangla Academy operated to fulfill the government's agenda, raising serious questions about the freedom of writing and expression.

"Fascism can never survive on its own. It is supported by individuals from various sectors, such as bureaucrats, police officers, and lawyers. Similarly, allies have emerged within the publishing sector. However, a police officer may fire a shot under orders from higher authorities to keep their job. It's not justified but it is far more dangerous for the society when a creative and free-thinking writer or publisher knowingly supports fascism," said Saeed Bari, president of the Anti-Discrimination Creative Publishers Association.

However, the book fair is merely one aspect of the multifaceted activities of Bangla Academy. The political influence here primarily stems from the broader systemic influence on the entire publishing sector.

Fascism can never survive on its own. It is supported by individuals from various sectors, such as bureaucrats, police officers, and lawyers. Similarly, allies have emerged within the publishing sector. A police officer may fire a shot under orders from higher authorities to keep their job. But it is far more dangerous for society when a creative and free-thinking writer or publisher knowingly supports fascism.

Saeed Bari, President, Anti-Discrimination Creative Publishers Association

For example, Bangla Academy itself is supposed to publish books on various aspects of the Bangla language and literature. However, over the past one and a half decades, the institution has focused mainly on publishing books that align with the Awami League's political ideology. 

In 2022-23, the academy published 64 books, 37 of which were about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, Sheikh Hasina, and Sheikh Russell. In 2020-21, marking Sheikh Mujib's birth centenary, Bangla Academy alone published nearly 100 new books.

According to a Prothom Alo report, nearly half of the Tk10 crore allocated to the National Book Centre in the last three fiscal years was spent on purchasing books about Bangabandhu and his family.

This shows how the Awami League had used each institution to serve its political interests.

"To make the book fair free from politics, the entire creative publishing sector must be freed from political influence," Bari noted.

But now, the country's political landscape has changed. This is the first book fair since the Awami League's rule ended after a mass uprising. Preparations are already underway. What will the book fair in this new Bangladesh look like? 

"This year, there seems to be no political influence on the book fair. Instead, the atmosphere feels positive, and we're not facing any pressure from anyone," Sarkar Amin, member secretary of Bangla Academy's Book Fair Management Committee, told The Business Standard.

However, politics have already surfaced in regards to pavilion allocations.

Recently, Bangla Academy decided not to allocate pavilions to over 12 publishing houses this year, citing accusations of unfair advantages gained through political influence during the ousted Awami League regime. The complaint came from a group of publishers. 

A group of the accused publishers labeled the decision as "unfair and unjust" and demanded its reconsideration. In response, the fair's management committee reversed the decision.

"Opinions can vary. A sub-committee had made the decision, and the larger committee has reconsidered it. The matter has been resolved," said Amin.

The post-uprising period has also seen various instabilities. One of its root causes appears to be the morally corrupt bureaucracy left behind by the Awami League government. Bari believes that the same applies to Bangla Academy as well.

It is worth noting that on 5 September last year, Professor Mohammad Azam from the Bangla Department of Dhaka University was appointed as the Director General of Bangla Academy. However, individuals appointed by the Awami League over the past 15 years continue to hold positions in the autonomous institution.

"On the question of fascism, Bangla Academy must maintain zero tolerance. There is no room for civility or democratic considerations in this regard, just as Hitler and his Nazi regime are outright banned in Germany," Saeed Bari concluded.

Ariful Hasan Shuvo. Sketch: TBS