Whether it’s for accessibility, portability, or convenience, e-books, and online resources have become a dominating trend for today’s readers. The evolution of e-books has made it easy to carry around and hold thousands of books in one place. However, with the rise of the best e-books and piracy concerns, there has been a down-tick for traditional books. This has eventually posed havoc on the bookstores and libraries, with many of them being shut off for good.
One such prey to the piracy storm is Bangladesh-based Zeenat Book Supply. The bookstore, said to be running since 1963, decided to stop its operations on May 1, 2023.
Times Have Changed
Syeed Faisal (the owner of the store) has been taking care of Zeenat Book Supply for 47 years. Earlier, the store was owned by his father, Syed Abdul Malek, but after his death in 1995, he took charge of the bookstore. Currently, Syeed Faisal is 67 years old.
Speaking about the scenarios of the ’60s, Faisal mentioned how things were different back in time. Amidst the sporadic popularity of TV and radio in Bangladesh, the books sustained their popularity. “We would arrive at the bookstore each morning to find huge lines waiting outside the shop,” he mentioned.
Declining Sales, Pandemic, and Piracy
As for the current situation, he highlighted how the sales declined significantly. Before their closure, their three-month book sale equaled the one-day sales of the earlier times. Also, their association with registered importers dropped to one from a whopping 25. He later blamed the pandemic for such downfalls as people got more prone to digital resources.
Faisal also talked about piracy and its dominance in bookselling. In fact, he considers piracy to be the main reason behind their shut-off. Speaking on the matter, he discussed how his bookstore sold only original and imported copies of the titles, but the readers preferred low-priced books. The tax surges made it more unreasonable for readers to buy the books. Eventually, those books would end up being unsold and damaged in the storage room.
Meanwhile, the pirated version of these books received more exposure for the low price. “I have incurred losses of Tk 29 lakh in the last nine years. Every month brings in losses of Tk 50,000-70,000.” he further mentioned.
Disappointed Readers
Although Faisal has his own reasons, the closure of Zeenat Book Supply came as heartbreaking news for the readers. “Zeenat is where I got my taste for Steinbeck, Tennessee Williams, bell hooks, and so many more. It is a place to stop on a summer’s day for a chat and a warm smile. It’s now slowly fading before my eyes before I’m ready to let go.” Iffat Sumaiya, one of the bibliophiles and regular visitors of Zeenat Book Supply, posted.
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.
