DHAKA: The four-day New York Book Fair will kick off on Friday (June 14). The fair will continue till June 16 at the PS 69 School in Jackson Heights in New York. 

The last day of the fair (June 17) will be held at the Jewish Center beside PS 69 School in the Jackson Heights.

Cultural personality Walid Chowdhury and writer and media personality Faridur Reza Sagor will receive 2019 lifetime achievement awards at the fair. 

Rabindra Sangeet Singer Rezwana Chowdhury Bonna and Syed Abdul Hadi's daughter Tanima Hadi will sing in the fair. There is no entrance fee for the Boi Mela arranged by Muktadhara Foundation this year. 

Dr Nazrul Islam, the convener of this year's Boi Mela, said, "This year's Book Fair will be different than previous years. Publishers from Bangladesh and India will come to the fair with a wide variety of books.

The fair include poem recitations, discussions about Bengali literature, cover unveiling ceremony of new books.

He added that the theme of this year's Boi Mela was ‘Jibone Boi Monone Boi.' 

Dr Jia Uddin Ahmed, the chairperson of the Muktodhara Foundation, said: "We want to expand the horizon of the Bengali literature and Bangla book reading habits among Bangladeshi American. Our goal of the fair is to ensure readers are getting access to the best books for their reading levels and interests.” 

Bishawjit Saha, the CEO and the Founder of Muktodhara Foundation said, ‘Writer and Editor Abul Hasnat, journalist Shahriar Kabir, writer, and cartoonist Ahsan Habib, writer, and journalist Anisul Haque have already reached in New York to join the book fair.

Author Selina Hossain, Poet Habibullah Sirajee, Sajjad Sharif, Bimal Guha, Zafar Ahmed Rashed and many other writers are likely to grace the fair. 

Prime Minister’s Political Advisor HT Imam, Acting Cultural Secretary Dr Md. Abu Haneda Mustafa Kamal, UN permanent representative and Ambassador Masud Bin Momen and Consul General of New York Sadia Faizunnessa will be present as guests of the fair.

BDST: 1257 HRS, JUNE 10, 2019
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