Dhaka, March 16 -- The Amar Ekushey Boi Mela 2026 has concluded amid uncertainty, repeated changes in schedule, and a severe shortage of visitors. Although the fair traditionally begins on the 1st February, this year it commenced on February 26 due to various complications.

The shortened 18-day event reportedly caused significant financial losses for publishers. On the final day alone, 236 new books were submitted to the information center, bringing the total number of new titles this year to 2,007. By comparison, 3,299 new books were published in 2025 and 3,751 in 2024.

The theme of this year's fair was "Multidimensional Bangladesh." A total of 549 publishing houses participated, down from 780 in 2025. Of these, 81 were allocated space...