5-day Shaheed Abu Sayeed Book Fair begins on February 18 in Rangpur. Photo : BSS

RANGPUR, Feb 16, 2025 (BSS) - A five-day book fair in memory of Shaheed Abu
Sayeed, a meritorious student of the 12th batch of the English Department of
Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR), will begin from February 18.
 
Abu Sayeed was martyred in police firing while taking part in the indomitable
anti-discrimination student movement on 16 July last year in front of the
university.

His martyrdom instantly ignited mass protests across the country turning the
anti-discrimination student movement into a student-people uprising to oust
the then fascist and mass killer Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and forcing her
to flee from the country on August 5.

This book fair, for the first time, will be held at the Independence Memorial
Ground on the university campus from February 18 to February 22, at the
initiative of the university administration.

Vice-chancellor Professor Dr Md Shawkat Ali disclosed the information to
local reporters at a press conference organized at the university's
administrative building on Sunday afternoon.
 
Shaheed Abu Sayeed's father Md Maqbul Hossain and Md Noor Islam, father of
Shaheed Felani Khatun, who was killed in the firing of Indian BSF on the
border of Nageshwari upazila of Kurigram, will jointly inaugurate the Shaheed
Abu Sayeed Book Fair.
 
Vice-chancellor Professor Shawkat Ali said, this book fair will start a
cultural journey towards Bangladesh in the new Bangladesh achieved through
the sacrifice of Shaheed Abu Sayeed.
 
"Every year, the history, tradition and culture of the northern region will
be presented to the entire nation through this book fair," he said, adding
that this book fair will play an important role in creating the habit of
reading books, writers and readers.
 
For those who are unable to go to the Amar Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka city
due to time and distance, he said, the Shaheed Abu Sayeed Book Fair will
create a great opportunity for them to buy and read books.
 
The Vice-chancellor also said that although the book fair was organized for a
short period this year, this book fair will be organized for a long period in
the future.

The five-day book fair will also feature discussions, writer-reader chats,
recitations, and cultural programmes.
 
"Renowned journalist Daily Amar Desh Editor Mahmudur Rahman and Daily
Jugantor Editor Poet Abdul Hye Sikder, along with poets, writers, and
intellectuals, will participate as discussants in the book fair," he said.
 
"A total of stalls will participate in this year's book fair," the Vice-
chancellor said.
 
Convener of the Shahid Abu Sayeed Book Fair Organizing Committee Professor Dr
Md Elias Pramanik, its Member-secretary Professor Dr Md Shahzaman, Dean of
the. Faculty of Life and Earth Science Associate Prof Dr Md Emdadul Haque,
Registrar Dr Md Harun-or Rashid, and teachers and students of various
departments were present on the occasion.