Besides visitors to the fair and devotees of the puja, a good number of poetry lovers joined the concluding day of the poetry festival on the DU Central Library premises.

Women in traditional sarees and men in panjabis came to the book fair after waiting in long queues and going through security checking with patience.

According to the Bangla Academy public relations office, at least 100 new books came to the fair yesterday.

Among them, Amader Boi Mela of Humayun Azad, Mohabbat Alir Akdin of Mohammad Jafar Iqbal, Ramya Aramya of Anisul Haq, Keboli of Sumonto Aslam, My Century of Gunter Grass, are mentionable.

Robin Ahsan, owner of Srabon Prakashon, said publishers have a plan to bring new books at the fair on the occasion of Saraswati Puja, as they know huge visitors turn up at the fair on this day.

A discussion on "Thoughts of the 20th Century: Riazuddin Al Mashadi", as part of regular discussions was held in the afternoon at the main stage with Mohammad Abdul Qaiyoom in the chair. Mohammad Shahjahan Mia presented the keynote paper.

Moreover, a painting competition for children in the morning and a cultural programme in the evening were also held on the Bangla Academy premises.