Bangladesh pavilion’s presence at 48th Kolkata Book Fair uncertain

Kolkata: The future of the Bangladesh Pavilion at the forthcoming Kolkata International Book Fair remains uncertain amid recent political unrest in Bangladesh.

The 48th edition of the fair is scheduled to take place from January 28 to February 9, 2025, at Salt Lake Boimela Prangan.

The Publishers and Booksellers Guild invited applications for stall setups, setting October 30 as the deadline for submissions.

Despite receiving nearly 1,300 applications, not a single one came from Bangladeshi publishers, casting doubt on the pavilion’s presence—a regular highlight at the fair.

According to sources, Afsana Begam, director of the National Book Centre, a wing of the Cultural Ministry in Bangladesh, e-mailed the Guild on Monday, highlighting that many Bangladeshi publishers had expressed interest in participating.