With the chief minister Mamata Banerjee giving a green signal to host the 45th International Kolkata Book Fair, the Publishers and Booksellers Guild today announced the event would be inaugurated from 31 January but with strict Covid protocols that include producing a double vaccination certificate and wearing masks for gaining entry into the premises.

Addressing a Press conference, the Guild’s general secretary Tridib Chatterjee and president Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey said the focal theme country for the book fair will be Bangladesh and the event will celebrate the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee year of Liberation of Bangladesh. It will also observe the 125 birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the birth centenary of Satyajit Ray.

The book fair will begin on 31 January through 13 February. The guild informed that the venue of the book fair is Central Park Mela Ground, Salt Lake while the international complex will have usual participants from abroad and publishers from different states of India.

Further, it stated that the intending publishers, booksellers, editors of Little Magazines and all other participants of the 45th International Kolkata Book Fair 2022 may submit their applications for participation at the Guild House within 30 November.

The special attraction, this year, will be the 8th Kolkata Literature Festival that will be organized during the book fair. Talking about the Covid measures to be adopted, the Guild members said that stalls, which are generally set up in enclosed structures will be open this time while there will be ample open space in the fairground to ensure social distancing.

The size of the stalls will be reduced and emphasis will be given on proper sanitation and double vaccination certificates would be required to be produced to gain access into the fairground.

The Guild is also planning to introduce free e-passes for entry but every visitor has to keep their Covid masks on, without which entry will be denied. Amid this, taking into consideration that many book lovers from abroad who generally visit Kolkata to attend the book fair but might not be able to this time, there will be a virtual screening of the book fair so they can absorb the ambience of the event no matter where they are based.