Kolkata: The 45th International Kolkata Book Fair will start from February 28 and will go on till March 13. The focal theme country this year is Bangladesh.
Addressing the press conference, general secretary of Publishers and Booksellers Guild Tridib Chatterjee said that in order to celebrate the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh Independence, the theme of Kolkata Book Fair is Bangladesh.
“Due to both Bangabandhu’s birth centenary and Bangladesh’s 50 years of Independence the theme this year is Bangladesh. Bangladesh Day will be celebrated on March 3 and 4. The fair will be inaugurated on February 28 by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee,” said Chatterjee.
Chatterjee also said poets like Sanjib Chattopadhyay and KL Khalid will be present during the celebration.
Speaking about pandemic protocols, the Publishers and Booksellers Guild’s general secretary said that though there will be over 600 stalls, there will be 35 per cent open space for ventilation.
“Several new publishers are setting up stalls. The stall size has been kept small so that there is more open space. The publishers have suffered loss in the last two years and despite small space, all have accepted to set up the stalls. Everyone attending the fair will have to wear masks,” further mentioned Chatterjee.
Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, chief coordinator and national implementation committee for birth centenary celebration of Mujibur Rahman said that the Bangladesh Pavilion will be based on the iconic speech of Bangabandhu on March 7, 1971.
“Not just the speech of Bangabandhu, other historic moments of Bangladesh will be showcased in the pavilion. Three gates are apparently dedicated to Bangladesh. 42 publishers will visit from Bangladesh and 50 stalls will be set on Bangladesh,” mentioned Chowdhury.
Publishers and Booksellers Guild president Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey said Kolkata Book Fair had got recognition from International Publishers Association, Geneva and also that Geneva has incorporated International Kolkata Book Fair in the calendar of book fairs published by them
Apart from Bangladesh, Britain, USA, Russia, Italy, Japan, Iran, Spain, Argentina, Mexico and other Latin American countries will participate in the Kolkata Book Fair.
