Dhaka, Feb. 2 -- A section of publishers on Monday urged authorities to reschedule the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 by February 5 until after Eid-ul-Fitr, warning that staging the country's largest literary event during Ramadan could deal a severe blow to Bangladesh's already struggling creative publishing industry.

The demand came from a press conference held at the Jatiya Press Club, where University Press Limited Managing Director Mahrukh Mohiuddin read out a written statement on behalf of creative publishers.

Ramadan is expected to begin in Bangladesh either on February 17 or 18.

Addressing journalists, Mahrukh said the Amar Ekushey Book Fair is not merely a marketplace for books but an inseparable part of Bangladesh's cultural iden...