Whether you're searching for contemporary works by emerging writers or timeless classics from renowned authors, this list highlights must-read books that deserve your attention during your visit.

"Bibaho"

Momtazuddin Ahmed

A poignant tale that revolves around the protagonist Sakhina's husband who is martyred in the 1952 Language Movement, Ahmed's work captures simultaneously the heartbreak and the pride of losing a loved one for the greater, collective political aspiration of a people. As Sakhina mourns the death of her beloved, her father urges her to take pride in his sacrifice—a dualism that characterises Bangladesh's struggle for independence. 

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Ekushey Boi Mela: At the crossroads of freedom and censorship

Ekushe February
Hasan Hafizur Rahman (ed.)
Bangala Gobeshona, 2020

Published on the first anniversary of 21st February, this short story collection features stories, such as Shawkat Osman's "Mouno Noy", Nur Ul Alam's "Ekaler Rupkatha", Rabeya Khatun's "Prothom Boddhobhumi", Shahidullah Kaisar's "Emni Korei Gore Uthbe", among others. Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous days of February 1952, this collection offers snippets of quotidian Bangali lives as the struggle for independence and linguistic autonomy raged on. 

On the occasion of this year's Ekushey Boi Mela, book lovers have much to look forward to. From thought-provoking short stories and captivating novels to powerful poetry and engaging plays, the fair offers a diverse selection catering to all literary tastes.

Mofossholio Intensity

Syeda Nilima Dola

Oitijjhya Prokashoni, 2025

Brought to this year's Boi Mela by Oitijjhya Prokashoni, in her debut poetry collection, Syeda Nilima Dola traces her evolution as a poet, capturing the raw emotions and transformative moments that have shaped her journey. Much like the title of her book, she finds the intensity of her love for life through poetry. In Mofossholio Intensity, she explores the experiences that shape our psyche and the intensity of emotions that moves us to find solitude in art. With an achingly beautiful tribute to all the people she loves, this book explores the theme that we are just a mosaic of everyone and everything we have ever loved.

Hijra Shobdokosh

Selina Hossain

Somoy Prokashon, 2019

Selina Hossain is a widely celebrated Bangladeshi fiction writer who sheds light on society's taboos through activism in her writing. Her book, Hijra Shobdokosh, is another significant addition to her literary works, published in 2019 by Somoy Prokashon. This book provides detailed information on the language, culture, and various aspects of the lives of the Hijra community. It highlights the scrutiny and misconceptions surrounding the Bangladeshi Hijra community and the generational mistreatment that they have lived through. It inspires conversation on how we can practise open-mindedness and recognise the struggle such marginalised communities face in cementing their identity in this society. Encouraging their social inclusion, it urges readers to see the Hijra community as an equal and respected minority while emphasising the importance of accepting their existence. 

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Rickshaw art rolls into Ekushey book fair at Kureghor Prokashoni’s stall

The White Book

Han Kang, Tripti Santra (translator)

Kobi Prokashani, 2025

Each year, innumerable Bangla translations of international bestsellers inundate the shelves at Boi Mela, making them accessible to a wider readership in Bangladesh. At this year's fair, we think Tripti Santra's translation of The White Book is one worth checking out. Originally written by Han Kang, a South Korean writer, The White Book is a deeply personal semi-autobiographical account that immerses readers into the severity of losing a loved one and the confusion of perceiving the world in their absence. Kang first rose to international prominence for her novel The Vegetarian, which became the first Korean language novel to win the International Booker Prize for fiction in 2016. In 2024, she became the first Asian woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, which the Swedish Academy awarded Kang for her "intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life".