Dhaka: A large number of weekend crowd were seen Friday on the 10th day of the Amar Ekushey Granthamela-2017, which has turned into a vibrant and festive gathering of booklovers, authors, publishers and researchers.

The stall attendants were seen busy dealing with the visitors and smiles flashed on the face of the publishers as holiday crowd flocked to different stalls and pavilions. 

With the first two hours from 11:00am to 1:00pm dedicated to kids as children's hour, children's presence was impressive in the morning, while the number of visitors of all ages increased as the children's hours ended.

With the first two hours from 11:00am dedicated to kids as children's hour on every Friday and Saturday during the book fair, children with their parents and elderly people of their families came and had a fun while browsing books, fair sources said. 

They said the organizers of the fair arranged different programmes including essay writings, painting, discussion and cultural function for children on the occasion of children's hour. 

Children mainly thronged to different stalls and many of them were seen buying books on fairy tales, ghosts, puzzles, alphabets, cartoons and comics.

A total of 313 new books arrived today while covers of 32 new books were unveiled at the book fair, a press release of Bangla Academy said.

Five books of popular writer and singer Sabira Sultana are available at the book fair. 

The five books -- Shekrer Sandhane, Kobitar Chhyapath, Akjan Humayan Ahmed O tar Nuhash Palli and Omar Bhar Likta Raha and Cheers --- are available at the stalls-283 and 284 at the book fair. 

While talking to news agency BSS, Sabira said, "All ages of people are readers of her books. I am getting impressive response from visitors of the fair, who have shown their interests to read my books."

"This response has increased my responsibility towards readers....I want to continue my writings to satisfy them," she added.

Sabira said, "I am passing very busy time in writing three new books, which are Kichhu Muhurto Payan Barch o nightingale er songe, Divorce and Shewtmormor." "I hope that I will finish writings of three new books very soon," she added.

Sabira wrote 12 books. In 2000, Sabira published her first poetry book titled "Atlantik Opar" with her pen name "Aphriya" 

Apart from Bangla Academy premises, around 400,000 square feet area on Suhrawardy Udyan have been earmarked for the fair, Bangla Academy Director General Shamsuzzaman Khan told BSS. 

The Suhrawardy Udyan has been decorated with 12 divisions. Some 663 units have been allotted to 409 institutions at the academy and on Suhrawardy Udyan premises. 

Besides, 14 publication houses including Bangla Academy got 15 pavilions covering an area of total 6,000 square feet. Some 100 little magazines have been allocated spaces at the Little Magazine Corner, south side of Burdwan House on the academy premises.