Guwahati, April 26: In line with the idea of taking book fairs to readers in the smaller towns and cities of the state, the Assam Book Fair, which is held here every winter, will be also organised in North Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Silchar and Haflong this year.
Addressing a joint media conference here on Wednesday, the office-bearers of the Publication Board, Assam and All Assam Book Publishers and Sellers Association, who have been organising the book fair every year, said a preliminary itinerary for the upcoming Assam Book Fair 2023-24 has been prepared in the meantime.
“Apart from Guwahati, the Assam Book Fair this year will be held in North Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Silchar and Haflong this year,” Pramod Kalita, secretary, Publication Board, Assam, informed.
Besides, the book fair will also be held in two other cities in lower Assam. “The venue and schedule of these two book fairs will be announced in due course of time,” Kalita said.
Meanwhile, the dates of the book fairs this year have been finalised by the organisers.
“The Assam Book Fair in Haflong town will be spread over a week from October 1 to 7, 2023, followed by book fairs in Lakhimpur town from October 31 to November 9, 2023; in Sivasagar from November 18 to November 27, 2023 and Silchar from December 1 to 10, 2023,” he said.
“The Assam Book Fair in Guwahati will be held from December 29 to January 9, 2024 at the Assam Institute of Engineering ground in Chandmari. We are gearing up all necessary preparations for organising the book fairs on a war footing,” Kalita said.
The organisers further thanked all the readers and book buyers for making the Assam Book Fair in Guwahati, Dhemaji, Jorhat, Nalbari, Diphu and Bongaigaon last year a success.
“As a matter of fact, these book fairs have been able to create a book movement in Assam for which the media fraternity in the state also deserves a share of the credit. These book fairs have ensured a secure market for books in the country and abroad,” the Publication Board’s secretary said.
“The book fairs have played a positive role in bringing together the younger generation of writers from various parts of Assam to a common platform for intellectual discussions and thereby adding a new dimension to the book movement in Assam,” he said.
“Moreover, these book fairs have provided considerable respite to the book publishers and sellers of Assam in coping with the losses faced during the lockdown which was triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added.