It's an amazing privilege to be attending the Dhaka Lit Fest this year in Bangladesh. I'm so excited to discover the Bangladeshi authors present and to enjoy the hospitality of the organisers, who are a remarkable group of people. http://dhakalitfest.com/

Here you can find an article from the directors discussing why the festival is so important http://www.dhakatribune.com/magazine/2016/10/15/dhaka-lit-fest-2016-note-directors/ "At the same time, we are also very grateful to Bangladeshi writers, publishers, activists who fight daily, at times with grave risk, to keep open the space for free thought and discourse. We also thank the authorities who provide the high degree of security that has now become de rigueur for events of its kind. DLF is the upshot of many souls from home and abroad, who come together only for three days, but thanks to months of preparation. As always, we embrace diversity and pluralism, actively engaging in other cultures and literatures, as well as celebrating our own."

A full list of authors, including VS Naipaul, can be found here http://www.dhakatribune.com/magazine/arts-letters/2016/10/15/a-glimpse-at-the-authors-appearing-in-dlf-2016/