Dhaka, March 6 -- Perched on her father's shoulders, little Maisha watches a puppet dance on the small stage while her mother captures the moment on a mobile phone.

Scenes like this were common at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair on Friday morning, where children gathered in large numbers at the Kaktarua Puppet Theatre area.

Some arrived hand in hand with their parents, while others wandered between stalls, pausing to flip through brightly illustrated children's books.

On weekends, the puppet shows have emerged as one of the fair's most lively attractions.

Hundreds of children and teenagers have been crowding around the stage to watch the performances organised this year by Kaktarua Puppet Theatre.

Although the book fair does not have a de...