Agartala, Feb 21 (IANS): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Wednesday inaugurated the 42nd Agartala Book Fair, an official said. February 21 also marks the Inernational Mother Language Day.

Manik Saha, accompanied by dignitaries and writers from Bangladesh and Tripura, inaugurated the 14-day long Agartala book fair at the Hapania International Fair Ground on the outskirts of Agartala.

Publishers and booksellers from Bangladesh, Kolkata, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Guwahati besides Tripura have set up around 200 stalls in the fair which will end on March 5.

Officials said that, like previous years, discussions and seminars on various themes, cultural programmes and assembly of poets would be organised.

The Agartala book fair -- the second most important in eastern India after the Kolkata book fair, was started in 1981.

Except for two years, it has been held annually.

The annual book fair has given a big boost to the local publishing business, with an average of 150 to 200 titles being published every year on the eve of the book fair.

However, in a few years, the number of titles crossed 350.

During the fair, many awards will be given by the government to the eminent writers, poets and publishers.