Online platforms offer a wide range of packages to subscribers at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair as the demand for audiobooks and e-books is on the rise.
Readers at the fair on Tuesday explored internet-based audiobooks, podcasts and e-books.
Humayun Azam Rewaz, a reader of e-books, said that a significant number of audiobook houses came with diverse genres of books.聽聽聽
鈥楾he field of audiobooks has been expanded quickly in Bangladesh. This year Shadhin and Sarabangla set their stalls at the fair which indicates the rise of this medium,鈥� said Rewaz.
Kahinik Audiobook, with its 10,000 subscriptions, released more than 40 productions at the fair, said Kahinik coordinator Ashraful Ashish.
鈥榃e have released more than 300 productions. The readers have liked them,鈥� Ashraful Ashish said, adding that readers are more interested in fiction, especially classics and thrillers.
Sometimes audiences explore new books based on genre, even the narrator, said Ashis while most of the narrators came from theatre and other cultural backgrounds.
Kahinik offers monthly Tk 225 for subscription fees and a reader can share the account with four other people, said Ashis.聽
Kabbik Audiobook offers more than 3000 contents to its subscribers while 90 per cent of its productions are original.
鈥楳ore than 22,000 subscribers follow our platform for productions,鈥� said assistant manager of Kabbik Audiobook MD Arafat Islam.
They work with popular publishers while some writers plan to release audiobooks instead of print versions, Arafat said, adding, 鈥楳ost of the narrator came from theatre background, Radio Jockey, presenters and dubbing artists.鈥�
Kabbik Audiobook offers Tk 21 as monthly subscription fees during the fair, said Arafat.
Boitoi, an online e-book platform comprising 12000 books, has three million readers.
鈥榃e also publish new books at an affordable price,鈥� said sales representative of Boitoi, Jannatul Ferdousi.
A total of 79 new titles including 23 collections of poems, 11 collections of short stories and 16 novels were published on Tuesday at the fair, according to the Bangla Academy officials.
A discussion on the life and works of writer Rokanuzzaman Khan will be held on the academy premises on Wednesday.