The curtain on Amar Ekushey Book Fair, which is underway, will drop today at Bangla Academy and Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.

Book lovers were seen buying their chosen books on the 27th day of the month-long book fair on Monday.

Subrata Karmakar, a student of Jagannath University, came to the fair with his friends.

He said, ‘Earlier, I collected catalogues from the stalls and made a short list of new books. I am buying them today.’

‘I have already bought Anu Muhammad’s Pujir Bishwajatra, Serajul Islam Choudhury’s Swapna Chilo, Thakbeo and Harishankar Jaladas’ Karna. I will collect some more books,’ said Subrata.

Rubel Hasan came from Narayanganj. The prices of books are quite high this year, he said.

Sales during this year’s fair are very much frustrating due to the increased book price and a fall in purchasing power of consumers, said Kathaprokash stall in-charge Jafirul Islam.

The fair organising committee member secretary KM Muzahidul Islam said, ‘We are prepared to hold the closing ceremony of the fair on the main stage on the Bangla Academy premises at 5:00pm on Tuesday.’

State minister for cultural affairs KM Khalid will attend the closing ceremony as chief guest.

Bangla Academy director general Mohammad Nurul Huda will deliver the welcome speech while cultural affairs secretary Abul Monsur will attend the ceremony as the special guest and KM Muzahidul Islam will deliver a report on the book fair.

Bangla Academy will hand over awards in four categories to the publishing houses for their publications and interior designs of the stalls or pavilions at the closing ceremony, which will be presided over by the academy’s president Selina Hossain.

According to Bangla Academy, 158 new titles were published on Monday raising the total number of books published in the fair to 3,463 so far.

Writers, poets and publishers held a rally on the Bangla Academy premises recalling the brutal attack on professor and writer Humayun Azad. He was stabbed seriously in the university campus area when he was returning from the book fair on February 27, 2004.

Poet Mohammad Nurul Huda, history professor Mesbah Kamal, writer Aslam Sani, poet Mohon Raihan and recitation artist Sahadat Hossain Nipu, among others, were present at the rally, which was presided over by Agamee Prakashani owner Osman Gani.

Besides, a discussion session on literature was held on the main stage of the fair on the Bangla Academy premises.

The fair will open at 3:00pm on Tuesday.