For the first time a Bengali book stall will have a permanent entry into the annual International Book Fair, organized by the Dubai government. It is a matter of great pride for the people from the state as well as Bengalis living in Dubai.

However it was not an easy task for a Bengali female writer of Indian origin in Dubai to have a Bengali book stall as permanent entry into the international book fair. Writer Saptadweepa Adhikary, a resident of Dubai, said, “The love for motherland and love for mother tongue is an inseparable part of a human being.

Advertisement

I am a writer and my Bengali edition ‘Rajkanya’ has drawn attention of the Bengali youths in Dubai. Many of them have come forward with Bengali articles for my Bengali edition. My aim is to propagate the language and literature among the people of Bengali origin in Dubai. Bengalis in Dubai, especially those born and brought up in Dubai, do not have much knowledge of the Bengali tradition and literature.

But, they are coming forward and showing interest in Rabindranath Tagore, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay and other renowned poets and novelists from Bengal and Bangladesh.” The Bengali book stall will have its maiden entry in the Dubai International Book Fair 2024.