The ongoing International Kolkata Book Fair in Salt Lake is thriving, with several thousand visitors flocking to the fairground that boasts over 1,000 stalls. But several attendees, including eminent columnist-novelist Shobhaa De, cannot help but feel the absence of Bangladesh stall, a common presence and often a crowd-puller at the annual fair.
“We share many commonalities in terms of language, food and culture. However, certain political situations are beyond the purview of the book fair. It is a sensitive issue, and I support the decision taken by the authorities. That said, I believe that certain things like the arts should be beyond such barriers,” said De, who was at the fair on its first Sunday to sign copies of her latest book The Sensual Self.
Festival director and honorary general secretary of Publishers and Booksellers Guild Tridib Kumar Chatterjee pointed out that the ripples of the ongoing political crisis in Bangladesh have been felt in India as well. “Had Bangladesh participated this year, at least 35 to 40 publishers would have been present, with books on serious subjects such as Bengal’s freedom struggle and Bangladesh’s history occupying shelves. In that sense, it is definitely a loss for the book fair,” he said.
Chatterjee added that Bangladesh first participated in the book fair in 1996 and, in 1999, when Sheikh Hasina was the Prime Minister, the country was the fair’s focal theme nation.
“This year, Bangladesh approached us directly. However, as per protocol, participation has to be routed through the Ministry of External Affairs. Since the necessary approvals could not be obtained, Bangladesh is not participating this year. If the situation changes, they are likely to return next year,” he explained.
Several visitors also voiced their disappointment over Bangladesh’s absence.
“I have bought a few Bengali books, but I am particularly upset that Bangladesh has not participated this year. I was looking forward to visiting the stall,” said Anwesha Dutta Gupta, a freelance dietician.
Dr Deb, a practicing physician at Apollo Hospital, felt Bangladesh’s absence from the fair may affect cultural exchange between the two countries. “A lot of unnecessary noise is created around political issues, and as a result, other things, such as livelihoods, get affected. Had the stall been here, it would have generated revenue for both countries. My forefathers are from Bangladesh, so I am eagerly looking forward to their return in the coming years,” he said.
Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika actor Somak Ghosh echoed similar sentiments. “The decision has been taken at a level beyond the purview of readers like you and I. This goes beyond literature as we understand it. While it has impacted cultural exchange, all we can do is hope that Bangladesh returns soon,” he said.
While the USA did not participate in this year’s book fair owing to budgetary constraints, China has returned to the International Kolkata Book Fair after a gap of 15 years. Among other participating nations are Russia and Ukraine.