Don’t come, we’ll send you a refund, West Bengal fair tells Bangladeshi traders

The ongoing turmoil across the border has led the organisers of one of the city’s most popular winter fairs to request traders from Bangladesh — who had booked stalls on the fairground and paid an advance — not to take part.

The agency looking after stall and pavilion booking of Bidhannagar Mela Utsav 2024-25 have started refunding the advance for stalls paid by Bangladeshi traders.

The fair will be inaugurated at Salt Lake Central Park fairground on Tuesday. Organised by the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC), it will continue till Jan 6. Close to 500 stalls are being set up this year.

“Presence of Bangladeshi traders may provoke a reaction. We do not want any trouble at the fair and have already returned the advance paid by some. We are trying to convince the rest to accept the refund and not to come to the fair,” said an official of the agency entrusted by BMC to look after stall, pavilion and kiosk bookings.

It has already been reported that the Kolkata International Book Fair, which will begin on Jan 28 at the Central Park fairground, is unlikely to have participation from across the border.

Each year, representatives from Bangladesh put up two to three stalls of Dhakai and Jamdani saris and other items at Bidhannagar Mela, which draws large crowds.

“They were interested in putting up those stalls this year as well. Money was paid and bookings were made but given the present situation in Bangladesh, we are returning the money and appealing to them to not take part in the fair. It would be embarrassing and undesirable if any trouble occurs due to their participation. It would be a loss of face for us if they face any trouble here,” said an official of the agency.

When contacted, BMC mayor Krishna Chakraborty, who is the president of the fair committee, said: “I am not aware of this.”

Organised by BMC since 2016, Bidhannagar Mela Utsav has been one of the most popular fairs in the city and an integral part of Salt Lake’s winter calendar, drawing thousands every day.

Shops from the districts, as well as from outside the state and from abroad (Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Egypt) are put up.

The fair used to be organised by an NGO during the Left Front rule. In 2011, the erstwhile Bidhannagar Municipality took over the mela and since its formation in 2015, BMC has been organising it.