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Books to be costlier at Ekushey fair

Soaring paper prices and rising binding charges blamed

Shahnaz Parveen
Books are likely to be costlier in the Ekushey Book Fair this year as soaring paper prices are increasing the production cost posing a serious threat to the publishing industry'.
Publishers say the customers might see a price hike of around 20 to 25 percent at the 2008 book fair, that starts at Bangla Academy on February 1, and in the market as well.
There will also be reduction in the amount of commission given to the visitors at the fair every year. The percentage of commission on books may
decline to 20 to 25 percent from its usual level of 30 to 35 percent.
For hard-binding books publishers mostly use offset paper (70gm). Price of one ream (1,000 sheets) of offset paper was around Tk 1,600 to.Tk 1,650 just a year ago. The price has gone up to Tk 1,900 to Tk 2,000, said Jahar lai Saha of Muktodhara Prokashani.
Increased price of paper will eventually lead to price hike of books as production cost of one forma (16 pages) which was around Tk 15 to Tk 16, has reached Tk 20 this year. A five-forma book that was about Tk 80 last year will now be priced at Tk 100.
Cost of other services needed for printing books also tends to increase during January and February, which is the season of Ekushey Book Fair and school textbook printing. Binders tend to increase their charge at this time of the year.
"Every publishing house targets the book fair as their best selling season. The number of books printed during this season is the highest, sometimes even more than the rest of the year,” Jahar lai said. "This puts tremendous pressure on the entire printing industry, increasing the demand of other auxiliary services.”
In recent months boards used for hard binding of books have
also become costlier.
“The increased prices of paper and other materials will directly affect the price of new books. It will not just increase the book prices at the Ekushey Book Fair. It will have an adverse effect on the entire book market in general,” said Jahar lai.
Publishers attributed this price hike on the tariff imposed on paper imports in 2001 and considers levy on paper and reading materials very unreasonable. They said the tariff in total becomes around 50 percent when the material reaches the capital city.
There are around 40 local paper factories in the country. Pulps used by these factories are
also imported and with a high tariff. The publishers also blamed local paper producers for increasing the price very often.
Nazrul Islam Bahar of Shikha Prokashani said, ‘The tariff imposed on paper has increased the price of paper. Besides the imported paper, our local producers has been increasing the price almost every week, whenever they wish."
“We are forced to increase the price of books,” he added.
The increase in book prices will actually worsen another situation that the industry is already facing. Osman Gani, owner of Agamee Prakashoni said, “Ours is not a book reader society to begin with. The increased price will eventually hurt the very limited readers we have.”
“The middle class is our prevailing market segment who reads for pleasure. The increased price will affect their purchase capacity eventually deteriorating reading habits," he added.
"Nation building depends on reading books. If the general people cannot afford to buy it, then eventually it will affect literacy rate and the nation's future," he said.
“We are however gradually losing our prevailing market segment due to the overall increase in the prices of essentials goods. Now the middle class rather spend money on buying groceries and products of daily need than books," Gani said.
"Costing also depends on the number of books printed. Printing more books means less production cost and reduced price of books. We already have a limited production. The increased price will worsen the situation further," he added.
Publishers called on authorities to decrease the imposed levy on imported paper, control the price of local paper and provide support to keep the industry afloat
“Publishing business is not a full-fledged industry in Bangladesh yet. It is still in the budding stage and standing on a very weak base quite neglected. Without government support it will see hard times in the future," said Gani.
“Also because of our high pricing we cannot compete with the international market, especially Kolkata,” he added..
"It would be of greater help for the publishers if tax and other duties imposed on paper were waived not just for the book fair during the particular months of January and February but for the industry in general,” said Bahar of Shikha Prokashani.