Agartala, Feb 21, 2024, TRIPURA TIMES Desk
Agartala, Feb 21: Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on Wednesday encouraged everyone to read books and go back to the culture of gifting books.
He was addressing the people after inaugurating 42nd Agartala Book Fair at Hapania International fair ground. This year, the theme of Agartala Book Gair is 'Bhavya Tripura'.
Dr. Saha stressed on the importance of reading books for gathering knowledge. He said, even in this digital era, books are important.
He also said, gifting books would not only enhance the practice of reading books but also encourage the writers, publishers and sellers.
Meanwhile, Book Fair goes beyond literature every year, serving as a platform for showcasing rich cultural heritage and fostering cultural connections. Though the first day of the Book Fair failed to draw much gathering due to rains, the organizers are expecting a huge turnout in the remaining 13 days.
Eminent writer and scholar of Bangladesh Subhash Singha Roy, who attended the opening ceremony, highlighted the India's contributions in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. He also spoke about the importance of Book Fair.
MLA Mona Rani Sarkar, who presided over the programme, said the Book Fair, which creates a celebration of literature and culture every year, is expected to register massive gathering this year.
The 42nd Agartala Book Fair saw an increase in the number of stalls-- from 180 in 2023 to 191 in 2024.
In the inaugural function held at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Mancha, Deputy Speaker of Tripura Legislative Assembly Ramprasad Paul, Chief Whip Kalyani Roy, Mayor of Agartala Municipal Corporation Dipak Majumder and Bangladesh Assistant high Commissioner in Agartala Arif Mohammad among other guests were present.
The Chief Minister and other guests inaugurated several book stalls as well as a photo gallery.