Bidhannagar Mela Utsav kicks off without Bangladeshi traders
Times of India | 18 December 2024
12 Kolkata: For the first time, the annual Bidhannagar Mela Utsav organised by Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) which kicked off at the Salt Lake Central Park fairground on Tuesday, is not having any participation from Bangladesh.
TOI on Monday reported that the Bidhannagar Mela Utsav, one of the largest and most popular fairs in the city, was excluding traders from Bangladesh this time. This decision was made with the potential adverse reactions in mind, given the current situation in Bangladesh. An official of an agency entrusted with managing stall and pavilion bookings for the fair said they were refunding the advance paid by Bangladeshi traders and requested them not to come. BMC mayor Krishna Chakraborty, who is the president of the fair committee, did not want to make any comment on the issue.
The fair was inaugurated in the presence of ministers Bratya Basu, Sujit Bose, Aroop Biswas, and Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, along with BMC mayor Krishna Chakraborty, Rajarhat New Town MLA Tapas Chatterjee, and other BMC officials and Trinamool leaders. Stalls from other countries, like Afghanistan, were preparing for a full-fledged opening from Wednesday onwards, except for Bangladesh, which would be missing this time. Until last year, at least two to three Bangladeshi Dhakai and Jamdani saree stalls used to come up, drawing large crowds.
Agriculture minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay said he was not aware of the traders from Bangladesh being asked not to participate but mentioned that the fair committee must have taken the best decision keeping in mind the current situation in Bangladesh to avoid any trouble.
Around 500 stalls are being set up at the Bidhannagar Mela Utsav this time, including a food court and amusement rides. The majority of stalls were to be completed as traders were working on last-minute preparations. The fair will continue till Jan 6.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.