Bangladesh is conspicuously missing from the list of participating nations, a statement by the Publishers and Booksellers Guild said. Guild president Tridib Chatterjee said, “Except for 2007 and 2021, the two years when the fair could not be held due to unavoidable circumstances, Bangladesh had been a
regular fixture in the book fair calendar.”

However, he added, “In view of the current situation in the neighbouring country over the past three months, when even visas are not being granted except for serious medical emergencies, the Guild cannot make any decision on its own. We have to seek advice from the Ministry of External Affairs for policy decisions and from the state government regarding law and order concerns.”

—With PTI