Custom duty on books causes cancellation of book fair

Nepal International Book Fair that is scheduled from August 14 to 30 is canceled as Nepal government levied 10 percent custom duty on import of books.

 Global Exposition and Management (GEM), the organizer has officially announced the cancellation of book fair since publication house refuse to participate at fair due to duty tax on book.

The government has imposes the 10 percent custom tax on books since current fiscal year. 

According to Ajit Baral, co-founder of FinePrint, the government has interfered to the right of readers by imposing custom tax on books. “Due to the government’s levied 10 percent tax on book, there will be a price hike on purchase of book. And this has resulted the publishers not to import books,” shared Baral.