Publishing Delegation to Bangladesh

The PA led a small delegation of UK and India-based publishers to Bangladesh in the first week of February. Representatives from CUP, Nelson Thornes, Elseiver, Pearson Education, and the PA's legal counsel in India, aca-law lobbied Bangladeshi government authorities on a range of issues. These included:

Piracy – which in Bangladesh runs at delinquent levels undermining the local book trade, international publishers, the rule of law and acts as a stain on the reputation and good name of Bangladesh.

Tax on imported books which runs counter to practice in almost every other nation state, acts as a disincentive to local importers and the local book trade, adds to the price of books thus encouraging piracy and raises insignificant revenues for the Board of Revenue.

The PA asked that a nodal agency in the Ministry of Home should be set up, where information on piracy can be shared and enforcment action be coordinated. The PA stands ready to organize a seminar for the benefit of various government agencies, on the methods and  procedures to tackle piracy. Whilst all are agree that the law is in place it is in the enforcement of the law that the problem lies.

The delgattion was received by senior officials in the minstiries of Home, Culture, Education and the Revenue Board. In addition the delegation met with officials from the British Council, the British High Commission, the US Embassy, local booksellers and importers. A seminar organised by the British Council was attended by over 150 delegates.

Simon Bell, International Director of the PA said, "The British Council were stellar. They organised an action-packed programme that allowed us access to the highest reaches of the government in Bangladesh. The situation in Bangladesh is out of control. The law is there but it is just not being enforced. The market is one which offers huge opportunities to international publishers, notably schools, ELT and academic titles. The provision of South Asian editions which are the cheapest books in the English-speaking world, means that books are now available at an affordable price. Price is simply no excuse for piracy. "

Click here to see photos of the trip