Agartala, Jan 2 The Agartala Book Fair began here on Thursday with colourful ceremonies, albeit minus the participation of any booksellers and publishers from Bangladesh -- for the first time -- in view of the unrest in the neighbouring country.
Officials said that in view of the unrest followed by the political changes in Bangladesh, no booksellers or publishers from the neighbouring country took part in the Agartala Book Fair, being held at the Hapania international ground on the outskirts of the city.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha inaugurated the 13-day-long 43rd Agartala Book Fair, which would continue till January 14.
In his address, Saha urged the people to give a valuable book to their loved one and all concerned instead of any flower or any other gifts during different occasions.
A senior official said that the Agartala Book Fair started in 1981 and since then almost every year either publishers or booksellers from Bangladesh participated in the annual semi-trade book festival.
Earlier, in some Agartala Book Fairs, publishers or booksellers from Kolkata and other cities sold Bangladeshi books, but this year, no Bangladeshi books would be available in the fair, the official said.
Leading publisher Debananda Dam said that in view of the current situation in Bangladesh after the abrupt fall of the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, no booksellers or publishers from that country seem to be ready to attend the book fair in Agartala.
“Keeping in mind the situation in Bangladesh, even no Indian publishers or booksellers are willing to display or sell Bangladesh-related books in the Agartala Book Fair,” Dam told IANS.
According to the official, like in previous years, booksellers and publishers from Kolkata, Guwahati, and Delhi participated in this year’s book fair apart from local publishing houses.
He said that more than 159 stalls, including 42 stalls by outside booksellers and publishers, were set up in this year's fair.
The official said that recently protests were organised in some Book Fairs held in a few districts of West Bengal after the Bangladeshi books were displayed there.
No Bangladeshi booksellers or publishers would also participate in the upcoming 13-day long 48th International Kolkata Book Fair, which would commence from January 28.
In November, a Bangladeshi trader had to close his stall at the trade fair in southern Assam’s Silchar after some Hindu activists demanded it in protest against the atrocities on Hindus and other minorities in the neighbouring country.
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