The Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 will begin on Thursday, February 26, with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurating the event at 2 p.m. The fair’s theme this year is “Multidimensional Bangladesh.” During the opening ceremony, the Prime Minister will also present the Bangla Academy Literary Award 2025. The event will be chaired by Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque, President of Bangla Academy, with speeches from Director General Professor Mohammad Azam, Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, and State Minister Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam.

The fair will remain open daily from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., except on holidays when it will open at 11 a.m. Entry will close at 8:30 p.m. A total of 549 publishing houses will participate, including 81 at the Bangla Academy premises and 468 at Suhrawardy Udyan, with 1,018 units in total.

Organizers aim to make this year’s fair environmentally conscious and “zero waste,” banning polythene and smoking. Stalls and materials will use eco-friendly items such as jute, cloth, and paper, with regular cleaning and mosquito control measures in place.