Kolkata Book Fair to be held in July

By then, we hope assembly polls and board exams wouldalso be over.

The 45th International KolkataBook Fair, which was shelved in January due to the COVID-19situation, will now be held in July, Publishers andBooksellers Guild said on Thursday.

The fair, which draws people from far and wide everyyear, will be organised at Central Park in Salt Lake, muchlike the three previous editions, Guild president TridibChatterjee told a press meet here.

This year's theme country would be Bangladesh as 2021marks the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh MujiburRahman. Also, the neighbouring country would be celebrating 50years of Independence in March.

''With the COVID-19 situating having improved, we havedecided to organise the much-awaited 10-day book carnival inJuly. By then, we hope assembly polls and board exams wouldalso be over. The exact date, however, is yet to befinalised,'' Chatterjee said.

The guild will also pay homage to Netaji SubhasChandra Bose, as part of the year-long observation of his125th birth anniversary, its president said.

Auteur Satyajit Ray and his works would be celebratedat the fair on the occasion of his birth centenary, he said.

Apart from that, a special section to honour thecontributions of veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee, formerpresident Pranab Mukherjee, and noted writer Anisujjaman allof whom died last year will be arranged at the carnival.

Going by the norm, The Kolkata Literature Festivalwill be held alongside the book fair.

Chatterjee further said that the guild will organisemultiple events across the city on the occasion ofInternational Language Day on February 21, Bengali New Year inmid-April to foster reading habits among public.