KABOOM! HERE IS YOUR BUDGET HARRY POTTER

Anna of Sepia Mutiny writes that it took 48 hours the pirated version of the new no. 6 volume of the Harry Potter series to reach the Mumbai streets.

She quotes the BBC news:

Pirated Harry Potter copies started appearing on Monday, following the worldwide release in the early hours of Saturday.

At almost every major traffic junction the book was being offered by hawkers. Hawkers and street book stalls are offering JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for $6, compared to the legitimate stores’ $20.

Well, the exact thing happened in Dhaka streets also. I also saw a slim paperback version of the book (not the big and fat one as seen on TV) in the hands of hawkers as early as Monday of this week. I was wondering how the book can pirated so professionally and in the shortest possible time right in front of the law enforcement authorities?

Piracy is a big obstacle in this region. But considering the low purchasing power of an immense crowd of book lovers, the publication houses could easily publish a budget version of the same for sale in this part of the region only. Only the riches and upper middle classes are able to buy at the costly self price. These copycats are only filling the gap.

Tags: Bangladesh, India, Harry Potter