Manuscripts Invited from Emerging Poets
Dhaka, October 18, 2026: Ekusher Sankalan has invited manuscripts from emerging poets for its Kobi-Abhishek initiative, which aims to publish first poetry books by promising new poets ahead of the upcoming Ekushey Book Fair. Applicants must be aged 33 or below. The deadline for manuscript submission is November 16, 2026.
Interested poets are requested to submit their manuscripts containing at least 40 poems in both Word and PDF formats, along with their full personal profiles, to marufraihan71@gmail.com.
With poetry books often facing limited sales, many publishers remain reluctant to publish works by emerging poets. As a result, securing an opportunity to publish a first poetry collection can be challenging for new literary voices. Against this backdrop, Ekusher Sankalan has taken an innovative initiative to support emerging poets and help them make their literary debut.
Since 2020, the publication has been implementing the Kobi-Abhishek programme, under which it has sought to publish the first poetry book of at least one emerging poet each year. Over the past six years, six emerging poets have had their books published through the initiative. The poets have also received cash gifts and commemorative mementos in recognition of their work. Special celebratory events are organised to mark their literary debut.
These events feature discussions of the newly published books by prominent poets, recitations from the featured poet’s work, reflections by the poet, and question-and-answer sessions with readers. The initiative seeks to introduce emerging poets to a wider literary audience and strengthen the connection between poetry and readers.
Edited by poet Maruf Raihan, Ekusher Sankalan has been published annually on the occasion of February 21 for more than two decades. The publication aims to uphold the dignity of the mother tongue, highlight the significance of International Mother Language Day, and make the Ekushey Book Fair more meaningful.
One of the publication’s key attractions is a colourful booklet or special supplement featuring brief introductions to 50 selected books from among the thousands of new titles published around the Ekushey Book Fair. Its e-paper edition has also been optimised for mobile devices. Readers can explore introductions to selected books from the past 12 years by visiting www.banglamati.net/50-book.
The latest call for manuscripts reflects Ekusher Sankalan’s continued commitment to encouraging emerging literary talent, creating opportunities for first-time poetry book publication, and bringing new voices in Bengali poetry to a wider readership.
