Tripura: Book Fair to begin on Feb 26 at Hapania ground; Corona relief for booksellers
The book Fair Committee of Tripura has decided to offer participating publishers and book sellers some cost reduction relief for upcoming Book Fair in Agartala. The Book Fair will begin from February 26 next at International Fair ground at Hapania.
Presiding over the first organizing committee meeting of the 39th Agartala Book Fair, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma said this in Agartala on Monday.
"We are well aware of the present Covid pandemic situation. The book fair will be held at a strange time. We shall try not to charge registration fees, relax electricity bills and other charges like stall fees. Attempts will be taken to grant rebates on all kinds of charges ", Dev Varma said.
However, he was quick to point out that there would be no relaxation would be granted in case of Covid protocols.
"Adequate arrangements for sanitizer has to be arranged, masks and other safety measures must be adhered during the fair that will begin from February 26", said the Deputy Chief Minister who also happens to be the chairman of the country.
On being asked about the number of publishers participating in the fair this year, he said, "Publishers from Bangladesh are coming and they have said that if they cannot participate in the fair, they will surely display their books. Some publishers from Kolkata and Guwahati are also in contact with us to put up their stalls".
This year the theme of the book fair has been finalized as “Amader Tripura, Srestha Tripura” that literally translates to “Ours Tripura Best Tripura”. The Deputy Chief Minister also said, the book fair will be organized at international fair ground Hapania and adequate arrangement for transportation will be made by the transport sub-committee.
Apart from the Deputy Chief Minister, first secretary of Bangladesh assistant high commission, chairman higher education council Arunday Saha, veteran editor Subal Kumar Dey, press club secretary Pranab Sarkar, officials of the concerned department also attended the function.