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DHAKA, Feb 22, 2026 (BSS) - The Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026, the country's largest annual literary event, will begin on February 26.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to inaugurate the fair at 2:00pm on the opening day, according to a press release issued by Bangla Academy today.

The decision was made at a meeting between the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and leaders of the Bangladesh Publishers and Booksellers Association (BAPUS), held this evening at the Shahid Munir Chowdhury Conference Room of Bangla Academy.

The meeting decided that there will be no pavilions at this year's fair. Publishers who had previously been allotted pavilion spaces have agreed to remove them from the fairgrounds.

Publishers who applied for stalls on February 19 took part in a lottery for stall allotment, which was held at 10:00pm today. Construction of stalls will begin from February 23.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam, Cultural Secretary M Mafidur Rahman, Bangla Academy Director General Professor Mohammad Azam, and Bangla Academy Secretary Dr Mohammad Selim Reza were present at the meeting.

Meanwhile, the cultural affairs minister and the state minister have already announced that stall fees for Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 will be waived.