District book fair inaugurated in North Dinajpur

Raiganj: “As fish cannot live without water, people in a civilized society cannot live without books,” said Siddiqullah Chowdhury, the State Minister of Mass Education and Library, during the inauguration of the district book fair at Kaliyaganj Purbati Sundari Vidyalaya in North Dinajpur on Monday.

The fair is expected to attract large crowds, fostering a love for books and culture in the district.

Addressing the event, Chowdhury emphasised the importance of physical books, especially in an era where students are increasingly reliant on e-books. He stated: “While advanced technology is essential, students must not completely depend on it. Reading physical books is vital for gaining knowledge and fostering a complete life.”

Highlighting the government’s initiatives, Chowdhury mentioned the significant increase in the book fair budget under the current administration and informed: “Since its inception, our government has prioritised book fairs. We increased the annual budget for book fairs eightfold compared to the previous Left Front government. In 2022-2023, we purchased books worth Rs 6 crore, with funding shared equally between the state government and the Raja Rammohan Library Foundation. Books worth Rs. 20-25 lakh were sent to libraries in each district”.

The event was also attended by Gulam Rabbani, the minister of the state Non-Conventional & Renewable Energy, Karim Chowdhury, MLA of Islampur, Surendra Kumar Meena, District Magistrate, and other dignitaries.

This year’s book fair will run till January 5, featuring 100 stalls with publishers from across the state, including Kolkata. However, publishers from Bangladesh could not participate this year due to political unrest in their country. Debobrata Das, District Library Officer, stated: “We have planned cultural activities to engage students and encourage reading. We anticipate substantial book

sales this year.”