Bangladesh Turmoil Hits Kolkata's Bengali Book Industry Hard

Kolkata's publishing faces a 40% sales drop due to Bangladesh's turmoil. Reduced tourists, stricter visas, and pirated books impact cross-border demand.

on Dec 13, 2024

The ongoing social turbulence in Bangladesh has taken a toll on Kolkata's publishing industry. Sales of books by Bengali authors, cherished on both sides of the India-Bangladesh border, have been declining, according to industry insiders.

Publishers have reported a notable dip in the number of "floating" readers — spontaneous buyers who significantly contribute to sales. This trend is evident as the Bangladesh book pavilion is absent from Kolkata's biggest literary event, the Kolkata International Book Fair, and publishers report a nearly 40% drop in such readers in recent weeks.

Sudip Dey, a director of Dey’s Publishing, highlighted that "some 30-40 per cent of first-time or floating readers are missing during recent times." He attributed the decline to recent incidents of violence and protests in Bangladesh, which have influenced public perceptions and deterred visitors.

While committed readers continue to buy books, and import-export operations between India and Bangladesh remain steady, the reduced flow of Bangladeshi tourists to Kolkata, compounded by stricter visa checks, has further dampened sales. Bangladeshi authors such as Humayun Ahmed and Hasan Azizul Huq, as well as Indian writers like Sunil Gangopadhyay and Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay, remain popular, but the footfall has dwindled.

Partha Shankar Basu of Naya Udyog, a major publisher and exporter, admitted that the industry is grappling with recessionary pressures. He remains optimistic about a rebound, stating, "The larger majority of discerning readers... will never give up reading, their childhood habit."

Organizers of upcoming book fairs across West Bengal, including the Agartala Book Fair, are still keen to showcase Bangladeshi titles despite the challenges. However, Basu stated “If you visit booksellers on pavement across the city, including College Street, you will find pirated editions of books of Humayun Ahmed here which have great demand and far less in price. Similarly, you will find pirated editions of Sunil Gangopadhyay, Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay and other popular Bengali writers from this part of the border on the streets of Dhaka as well.