Agartala Book Fair 2025: Dates, Timings, and Key Details Announced

Agartala: The 43rd Agartala Book Fair will be held from January 2 to 14, 2025 but Bangladesh publishers or booksellers will not participate in the event.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha will open the 12-day Agartala Book Fair at Badharghat Fair Ground in West Tripura on January 2.

The lottery for stall allocation will take place on Friday. So far, no publishers or booksellers from Bangladesh have applied to set up stalls at the fair. However, publishers from Kolkata, Guwahati, Delhi, and local publishers will be part of the event.

Subabrata Deb, President of the Tripura Publishers' Guild, said that due to the political situation in Bangladesh after Sheikh Hasina’s removal, publishers from the country are not willing to participate this year. This will be the first time in many years that Bangladeshi publishers won’t be part of the fair, and their absence will be missed. 

He hailed the state government's decision to advance the book fair from February-March to January this year.

"Normally Agartala book fair used to be held in February or March but this time it has been advanced to the first week of January. We oppose organising book fair in February and March because of board examinations. I hope this time, students will get a fair chance to visit the book fair due to advancement in the book fair schedule", he said.

Eminent writer Nandita Roy said, "It is natural that Bangladesh publishers are most unlikely to participate in the Agartala book fair because of their internal problem. Besides, visa problem is also there. I heard that they are also not going to join the Kolkata book fair. We will miss literary masterpieces of Bangladeshi publishing houses as well as research based books which have good demand in Tripura. Last year, they had joined the book fair".