The month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair began yesterday on the Bangla Academy premises with a special offer of 30 percent commission for all books, seemingly a special attraction for the bookworms.

The fair commemorating the supreme sacrifice of Bangalees during the Language Movement on February 21, 1952 also serves as the meeting ground of country's eminent novel and short story writers, poets, literary critics, historians, columnists, journalists and readers and cultural activists.

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia inaugurated the fair, one of the most traditional events, that is very close to the heart of the people of

Bangladesh.

Unprecedented security has been taken on the occasion. Sixteen closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been set and several metal detectors installed at all three entrances to the fair.

Besides police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Detective Branch (DB) and National Security of Intelligence and other law enforcement and intelligence agencies have been deployed.

Visitors and their luggage are being thoroughly checked at the entrances. A five-member committee has been formed for receiving allegations and an information cell was opened.

As many as 305 publishing houses are taking part in this year's fair in 461 stalls and around 20,000 new books are likely to be published, said Prof Abul Kalam Manjur Morshed, director general of Bangla Academy. The Academy has published 23 new books.

The number of visitors was poor yesterday, but organisers expect the rush will increase gradually. Preparation for setting up and decorating stalls was still on.

Five parts of the venue have been named after five Language Movement martyrs -- Salam, Rafiq, Jabbar, Barkat and Shafiur.

Some publishers alleged stalls have been allocated considering political affiliation. Ruling BNP supporting organizations including Zia Sangskritk Jote, Jatiyatabadi Shishu Parishad, Dhaner Shish and Kamal have got stalls near the entrances.

The fair opens at 3:00pm and closes at 9:00pm every day. On Fridays it opens at 11:00am with a two-hour break from 12:00noon. On the February 21, the International Mother Language Day, the fair will continue from 8:00am to 9:00pm without any break.

The budget of the fair is Tk 26.36 lakh, Bangla Academy sources said.