Bangladesh is excluded from the list of participating countries at the Kolkata Book Fair after 28 years

Bangladesh has been excluded from the list of participating countries at the upcoming Kolkata Book Fair, which is to be held in West Bengal, India. This is the first time in 28 years that Bangladesh has not been included in this list.

This has created uncertainty about the presence of a Bangladesh stall at the book fair. On Saturday (November 16), Indian news outlet Times of India reported this information.

The report said that for the first time in 28 years, Bangladesh was not mentioned as a participating country in the schedule of the Kolkata International Book Fair. The schedule of this book fair was released on Friday.

Since the Sheikh Hasina government came to power in Bangladesh in 1996, Bangladesh has been featured in every edition of the Kolkata book fair. And in 1999, then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself attended the book fair. That year, Bangladesh was the theme country of the Kolkata book fair.

Tridub Chatterjee, the president of the Publishers and Booksellers Guild, has stated that they have not yet received any directives from the central government regarding Bangladesh’s participation in the book fair. He mentioned that until they receive instructions from the government, considering the current situation, they cannot say anything about Bangladesh’s participation.

The next book fair in Kolkata will be held from January 28 to February 9 of the coming year. However, the book fair authorities have informed that due to a shortage of space, no new publishers can be allotted stalls.

Germany is the ‘Theme Country’ of this year’s book fair.

So far, among the participating countries, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Spain, Peru, Italy, Argentina, and Colombia are included. And among the Indian state publishing houses, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat will also participate.

The 48th Kolkata International Book Fair, organized by the Publishers and Booksellers Guild, will be held in Salt Lake, the city. As in the previous year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate the book fair.

Meanwhile, for the first time, Kolkata Book Fair is getting Germany as its “Theme Country”. Simon Kleinpas, Vice Consul of Germany, and Astrid Wege, Director of the Goethe Institute, informed that environmental awareness and cultural diversity will be emphasized in the German Pavilion. Architect Anupama Kundu will decorate the German Pavilion.

Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey, General Secretary of the Guild, informed that the book fair will be inaugurated on 28th January and will continue till 9th February.

Last year, there were 1050 stalls at this book fair. To ensure a smooth organization, the number of stalls will not be increased this time.