The 49th Kolkata International Book Fair is set to begin on January 22. The event will be held at the Central Park Fairground in Salt Lake and will continue until February 3.

As in previous years, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate the fair, with Argentina featured as this year’s Focal Theme Country.

During a press conference held on Monday (January 12), the organizers—the Publishers and Booksellers Guild—confirmed that there will be no Bangladesh stall at the fair this year.

This marks the second consecutive year that Bangladesh has not participated in the event.

While Bangladesh had been a regular participant since 1996, it remains absent this year due to the prevailing "political situation" and a lack of necessary clearance (the "green signal") from the Indian central government.

Highlights of the 49th Edition

• International Presence: The opening ceremony will be attended by Argentine scholar Gustavo Canzobre and the Argentine Ambassador to India, Mariano Agustin Caucino. More than 20 countries will participate with over 1,000 stalls.
• Cultural Events: The Kolkata Literature Festival will take place on January 25 and 26.
• Themed Gates: A total of nine gates will be constructed, including two designed with Argentine architectural styles. Other gates will honor literary figures like Prafulla Roy, Pratul Mukhopadhyay, and Sailajananda Mukhopadhyay (marking his 125th birth anniversary).

Tech-Friendly Initiatives and Transport

To enhance the visitor experience, the organizers have introduced several digital features:

• Metro Connectivity: For the first time, the venue is directly connected by Metro (Green Line). A special Metro ticket booth will be available on-site, allowing visitors to purchase tickets via UPI.
• Extended Services: Metro services will run until 10:00 PM during fair days, including holidays.
• Digital Navigation: A dedicated mobile app and QR codes at all gates will provide a digital map, a participant list, and a stall-finder feature using Google location.