Photo: Collected-
Metropolis Report-
Adarsha Publishing has not been given a stall by Bangla Academy at the next book fair. On January 12, the fair’s regulating body released the allocation list; however, Adarsha’s name was missing.
Adarsha released three contentious novels, according to Bangla Academy sources, and some authors and publishers have complained in writing to the Academy about them.
The author of one of the novels, “Bangaleer Mediocrity-r Shandhane,” is Faham Abdus Salam, the spouse of Shamaruh Mirza, the eldest daughter of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
The other two works are “Unnayan Bivram” by Zia Hasan and “Oprotiroddho Unnayaner Obhabonio Kothamala” by Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb.
According to AKM Muzahidul Islam, member secretary of the book fair committee, “Adarsha was expected to have a stall with four units. They applied for a pavilion this year, which we were willing to give them. However, concerns about a few of their books were voiced, and we discovered that they were against our policy.”
He said, “There are different statements in those books against the government, Bangabandhu, and Chhatra League.
The police administration allegedly opposed the books as well, according to Muzahidul, who is also the director of the Bangla Academy.
Adarsha’s chief executive officer, Mahabub Rahman, said: “Aside from the author-publisher relationship, I don’t have any other political or ideological ties to the authors. We promise that regardless of the circumstances, we will continue to publish and distribute books to people.”
According to him, Adarsha was the target of such accusations in 2019, but the accusations were disproven. “I also don’t have a secret political objective. I merely support a writer’s right to freedom of expression.”
