The Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2022 has been extended till 17 March. State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid told reporters at his office in Secretariat on Sunday noon.

The State Minister said the Prime Minister today approved that the book fair will run till 17 March. On February 15, the premier opened the book fair on the Bangla Academy premises joining virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence.

On the day, Sheikh Hasina also distributed the Bangla Academy Sahitya Puroshkar-2021 (Bangla Academy Literature Award) at the opening ceremony. On behalf of the prime minister, State Minister KM Khalid handed over the awards to the recipients and spoke at the function.

The month-long book fair is usually arranged every year in February commemorating the sacrifices of those who laid down their lives on 21 February 1952 for establishing Bangla as the mother tongue. The traditional Amar Ekushey Book Fair began informally in 1972 on the Bangla Academy premises. Later, the academy officially took the responsibility to arrange the fair every year.