Agartala, Dec 28: The 43rd Agartala Book Fair will be held from January 2 to 14, 2025, but there will be no participation from Bangladeshi publishers or booksellers this year.

The 12-day event, set to be inaugurated by Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha at the Badharghat fairground in West Tripura, will feature publishers from Kolkata, Guwahati, Delhi, and local houses. However, Bimbisar Bhattacharjee, Director of Information and Cultural Affairs (ICA), confirmed that no Bangladeshi publishing house had applied for a stall, despite the upcoming lottery for stall distribution.

Subabrata Deb, President of the Tripura Publishers’ Guild (TPG), attributed the absence to the ongoing political instability in Bangladesh, concerns over safety, and visa issues. This marks the first time in many years that Bangladeshi publishers will not attend the fair.

Writer Nandita Roy also expressed regret over the absence, noting the demand for Bangladeshi literary and research-based works in Tripura.

The state government has advanced the fair’s schedule to January, allowing students to visit without conflicting with board exams.