Bengal's Book Trade Faces Cross-Border Challenges Amid Social Turbulence

The publishing industry in Kolkata is experiencing a downturn due to social instability in Bangladesh, affecting book sales by Bengali authors. The decline in both 'floating' readers and the exchange of books between countries is causing concern among stakeholders, although committed readership remains unaffected.

The publishing industry in Kolkata is grappling with a downturn, attributed to social unrest in Bangladesh, which has impacted book sales by Bengali authors on both sides of the border, as reported by industry stakeholders.

The trend is marked by a noticeable decline in 'floating' readers—those who make spontaneous purchases during visits to book stalls—and a dip in cross-border book exchange, despite steady order placements both physically and online.

However, committed readers in both Kolkata and Dhaka continue to frequent bookstores, mitigating some fears among publishers, who remain optimistic about a future rebound in the literary market.

(With inputs from agencies.)