Kolkata Municipal Corporation mandates Bengali signboards for commercial establishments in the city-OxBig News Network

KOLKATA

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has made it compulsory for all shops, restaurants, and other commercial establishments in the city to display Bengali on their signboards alongside other languages.

According to officials, February 21, 2025, has been set as the deadline for the implementation of this mandate.

Kolkata Municipality Secretary Swapan Kundu told local mediapersons that civic body officials have already started communicating with owners of shops, restaurants, and commercial centres in the city about putting up Bengali signboards. They have reportedly been informed that names of the establishments and crucial information should be written in Bengali alongside other languages ​​on their signboards. 

In October this year, shortly after the Centre recognised Bengali, Assamese, Marathi, Pali and Prakrit as classical languages, Trinamool Congress councillor Biswaroop De had proposed at a civic body meeting in Kolkata that all signboards in public and private offices should include Bengali in addition to other languages. He had also suggested that all notices, letters and documents of the Corporation should also be published in Bengali. 

Later in October, KMC Mayor Firhad Hakim had also echoed similar sentiments and said that all hoardings and banners associated with KMC will be displayed in Bengali. He had also said that he would urge private agencies and shops to display their signboards in Bengali