The nation on Friday observed the immortal Ekushey February and the International Mother Language Day in a befitting manner paying glowing tributes to the memory of the 1952 Language Movement martyrs with the demand for use of Bangla language at all levels and quick execution of war trial verdicts.
As the clock struck 12:01 am on Friday, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid their homage to the martyrs of the historic language movement by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived at the Shaheed Minar a few minutes before the clock struck 12 midnight. President Abdul Hamid also arrived there just before the zero hour.
The President was the first to place the wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar. Just after the President, the Prime Minister placed the wreath at the Minar. They stood in solemn silence for some time in respect to the memory of the language heroes. The Prime Minister, also the President of Bangladesh Awami League, later placed wreath along with her senior party leaders and cabinet colleagues on behalf of the party. Immediately after the Prime Minister left the venue, thousands of people from all walks of life wearing black badges and flags converged at the central Shaheed Minar to pay homage to the language heroes singing the immortal song on Amar Ekushey “Amar Bhayer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February. Ami Ki Bhulitey Paari.”
Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury placed wreath at the Shaheed Minar on behalf of the national parliament. A delegation of 14-party alliance led by spokesman Mohammad Nasim also placed wreath there.
Opposition Leader Roushan Ershad offered wreath at 1:20 am along with leaders of her party. Chiefs of three services, Jatiya Sangsad Chief Whip ASM Firoze and MPs, Dhaka University Vice- Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique and Teachers’ Association of Dhaka University, diplomats, leaders of different political parties, among others, placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar.
BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia also placed wreaths at the central Shaheed Minar. She was accompanied by acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other central leaders.
Leaders of other political parties, including Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Communist Party and Samyobadi Dal placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar.
Similarly, tens of thousands of barefooted people from all walks of life converged at Shaheed Minars across the country to pay homage to the language martyrs.
Government organizations and various socio-political, professional and cultural organisations and educational institutions also placed wreaths at the central Shaheed Minar to pay homage to the valiant sons of the soil. They also organised different programmes all over the country to observe the day with due respect.
Multi-layer security arrangements have been made in and around the Shaheed Minar for peaceful observance of the day.
Members of police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were deployed at the main venue of the programme.
On this day in 1952, students and people from all strata of the society took to the streets in Dhaka to protest the then Pakistan government’s refusal to recognize Bangla as one of the state languages and imposition of Urdu as the only official Language of Pakistan.
Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Shafiur, Jabbar and some other brave sons of the soil embraced martyrdom on this day to establish Bangla as the state language.
The Language Movement is indeed the most important turning point in the history of Bangalee as its spirit led to the Independence of Bangladesh through a bloody nine-month war in 1971.
The day is also being observed as the International Mother
Language Day declared by the UNESCO. On November 17, 1999, the UNESCO declared February 21 as the International Mother Language Day.
Countries across the globe have been observing the day since then to promote linguistic diversity and multilingual education and raise awareness of cultural traditions based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.
The day was a public holiday. The national flag was hoisted half- mast atop all government, autonomous and private buildings.
The National dailies brought out special supplements highlighting the significance of the day while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and satellite TV channels aired special programmes.
The day was also observed in Bangladesh missions abroad in a befitting manner.
