FAQ

What is Ilish Books?

Ilish Books is an independent publishing initiative focused on carefully conceived books that may not always fit conventional publishing models. We are particularly interested in works rooted in place, memory, movement, culture, ecology, observation, and lived experience.

Our objective is not to publish a large number of titles. We aim to work closely on a limited number of books and give each project the editorial, visual, and production attention it

Is Ilish Books a traditional publishing house?

Ilish Books combines elements of independent publishing and Print-on-Demand production. Our approach may differ from that of a conventional commercial publisher because we work with a small number of carefully selected projects and may develop an individual publishing arrangement for each book.

The editorial scope, production responsibilities, costs, royalties, rights, promotion, and distribution are discussed clearly before any publishing agreement is signed.

Does Print-on-Demand mean the book is self-published?

No. Print-on-Demand is a method of producing books. It does not, by itself, determine whether a book is traditionally published, independently published, or self-published.

Books published by Ilish Books go through an editorial and production process. Depending on the project, this may include manuscript development, editing, proofreading, design, image preparation, typesetting, cover design, printing, and promotional planning.

Is a POD book lower in quality?

Not necessarily. The quality of a book depends on its editing, design, paper, binding, printing, image preparation, and overall production standards.

POD books are usually produced in smaller quantities, but they can still be professionally designed and carefully manufactured. Certain specialised finishes, papers, bindings, or unusually large formats may be difficult or more expensive to produce through POD.

Why does Ilish Books use Print-on-Demand?

Many important books have a committed but relatively small readership. Printing a large quantity in advance can create unnecessary financial risk, storage problems, and wastage.

POD allows us to publish specialised books responsibly, keep them available for a longer period, and produce additional copies according to actual demand.

Is every copy printed individually?

Books may be printed as individual copies or in small batches, depending on the number of confirmed orders, printing requirements, and production schedule.

Will a POD book always be immediately available?

Not always. Because copies are produced after orders are confirmed, some books may require additional time for printing, binding, quality checking, and delivery.

The estimated production and delivery period will be communicated when an order is confirmed.

Can I order several copies of the same book?

Yes. Individual readers, institutions, libraries, bookshops, organisations, and corporate buyers may order multiple copies.

For larger quantities, please contact us before placing the order so that we can confirm production time, delivery arrangements, and any applicable institutional or bulk-order terms.

Can a POD title go out of print?

A POD title can generally remain available as long as the publishing rights, production files, materials, and printing arrangements remain active. However, Ilish Books may temporarily or permanently withdraw a title for legal, editorial, contractual, technical, or production-related reasons.

Does submitting an order form confirm my order?

No. Submitting the form is an order request. Your order becomes confirmed after Ilish Books verifies the details and sends you an order confirmation.

Please do not make a payment until you receive confirmation and payment instructions from us.

How can I pay?

Available payment methods and payment instructions will be shared when your order is confirmed.

Payment options may vary depending on the buyer’s location, the value of the order, and the delivery method.

Is advance payment required?

Some POD titles, pre-orders, limited editions, customised orders, international orders, and large orders may require full or partial advance payment.

Any advance-payment requirement will be explained before the order is finalised.

How long will delivery take?

Delivery time includes both production and courier time.

Books that are already available may be dispatched sooner. Books printed after an order is received will require additional production time. We will provide an estimated schedule when confirming the order.

Any delivery date is an estimate rather than an absolute guarantee, as printing schedules, public holidays, weather, transport disruptions, and courier operations may cause delays.

Do you deliver outside Dhaka?

Delivery availability depends on the courier network and the customer’s location. Please provide your complete address through the order form, and we will confirm whether delivery can be arranged.

Do you accept international orders?

International orders may be considered individually. Shipping cost, customs regulations, payment method, and delivery time vary considerably between countries.

Please contact Ilish Books with the title, quantity, destination country, city, and postal code before making payment.

Can I order a book as a gift?

Yes. Please provide the recipient’s name, phone number, complete address, and any special delivery instructions.

Gift wrapping or personalised messages may not be available for every order. Please ask about these options before confirming the purchase.

Can I cancel an order?

A standard order may be cancelled before it enters printing or dispatch.

A POD copy, pre-order, personalised book, signed copy, special edition, or bulk order may not be cancellable once production has begun. Please contact us immediately if you need to request a cancellation.

Can I return a book?

Because many Ilish Books titles are printed specifically against confirmed orders, we generally cannot accept returns because a customer changes their mind after receiving the book.

A replacement or appropriate resolution may be offered when:

• The wrong book was delivered
• The book arrived materially damaged
• Pages are missing or incorrectly bound
• There is a significant printing or manufacturing defect

Minor variations in colour, trimming, paper texture, binding, or print appearance may occur between production batches and are not necessarily considered defects.

What should I do if my book arrives damaged?

Contact us as soon as possible after delivery. Please provide:

• Your order information
• A description of the problem
• Clear photographs of the book
• Photographs of the external packaging
• A photograph of the courier label, where applicable

Please retain the book and packaging until the matter has been reviewed.

Is Ilish Books accepting submissions?

We welcome submissions that align with our editorial direction. However, because we are a small independent initiative, we can consider only a limited number of projects at a time.

Submission does not guarantee acceptance or publication.

Is there a submission fee?

No. There is no fee for submitting a manuscript or proposal for editorial consideration.

Any future financial or production arrangement will be discussed separately and transparently if we decide to explore the project further.

Do I need to submit the complete manuscript?

A complete manuscript is preferred when available, but it is not always required for the first review.

For an unfinished project, the proposal should clearly explain what has been completed, what remains to be written or collected, and when the full manuscript is expected to be ready.

Can I submit in Bangla?

Yes. We may consider manuscripts in Bangla or English, as well as bilingual and translated projects.

The language, editorial requirements, typeface availability, proofreading arrangements, and production feasibility will be assessed for each project.

Do you accept translations?

Yes, but the translator or rights holder must be able to establish that the necessary translation and publication rights are available.

Please include:

• The original title and author
• Original publication information
• The source language
• The proposed language of translation
• The current status of the translation
• Information about copyright and translation rights
• A sample of the translation

Ilish Books cannot publish a translation without the required legal permissions unless the original work is verifiably in the public domain.

Does acceptance guarantee that the manuscript will be published exactly as submitted?

No. Accepted manuscripts may require structural editing, rewriting, fact-checking, copyediting, proofreading, image selection, caption development, permissions, design changes, or other revisions.

The author is expected to participate actively and professionally throughout the editorial and production process.

Who is responsible for photographs and other visual material?

The person submitting the project must disclose who created or owns every photograph, illustration, map, artwork, document, quotation, or other third-party item.

Authors and contributors must obtain the necessary permissions unless another arrangement is made in writing. Material taken from websites, social media, search engines, archives, books, or private collections cannot automatically be reproduced without permission.

Will the author need to participate in promotion?

Yes. Authors, translators, photographers, and contributors should be willing to support reasonable pre-publication and post-publication promotion through their professional, personal, physical, and digital networks.

This may include interviews, launch events, readings, talks, social media communication, media outreach, institutional contacts, and direct engagement with potential readers.

Does Ilish Books guarantee sales or financial return?

No publisher can guarantee the commercial performance of a book.

Some Ilish Books titles may address specialised subjects and have relatively small audiences. POD reduces the financial risk of producing excessive inventory, but it does not guarantee sales, profit, media attention, distribution, or recovery of production costs.

The financial structure, author compensation, royalties, contributor payments, and responsibilities will be stated in the publishing agreement for each project.

How are publishing rights handled?

Copyright and publishing rights are governed by a written agreement.

The agreement should identify:

• Who owns the copyright
• Which publishing rights are granted
• The languages, formats, territories, and duration covered
• Royalty or payment arrangements
• Responsibilities for permissions and supplied materials
• Conditions for revision, withdrawal, reprinting, and termination

Authors should read the agreement carefully and raise any questions before signing.