BANGLADESH

With the clock striking a minute past Monday midnight, the nation started paying homage to the martyrs of the historic Language Movement of 1952 to mark 'Amar Ekushey' – the Language Martyrs Day and International Mother Language Day.

President Zillur Rahman led the nation in paying tributes to the martyrs by placing wreath at the altar of Central Shaheed Minar at 00:01am Tuesday, followed closely by prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Hasina, along with cabinet members, her advisors, lawmakers and party leaders, also placed wreath on behalf of her party. Thereafter, deputy speaker Shawkat Ali paid tribute on behalf of Parliament.

BNP chairperson and leader of opposition in Parliament Khaleda Zia placed wreaths along with the party's acting secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other leaders around 20 minutes after midnight.

Chiefs of the three services, the attorney general, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of UN organisations, and Dhaka University vice-chancellor Prof Dr A A M S Arefin Siddique also paid their tributes to the martyrs.

Various political parties and their front organisations as well as numerous socio-cultural organisations continued paying homage to the language martyrs by placing wreaths all through the day.

MORNING OF EKUSH

In the morning, chief justice Mohammad Muzammel Hossain placed wreaths at the altar of Shaheed Minar, followed by members of Bangladesh Judicial Service Commission.

Ruma Azad, a resident of Lalbagh, brought her son Toufiq-ul-Islam Siam, a nursery student, to show him the traditional programmes of Ekush.

"He (Siam) will be able to discover his identity by seeing this," Ruma said. She said they would return home after visiting the Amar Ekushey Book Fair at Bangla Academy.

"I offered flower at the school; now I've come here. I feel happy," little Siam said.

Dhaka University student Romana Akter, meanwhile, said she found more people in the morning on Tuesday than the last few years.

"I stood in a line in front of S M Hall at 7am but could place a flower only at 1pm," she said.

Besides law enforcement agencies, members of Bangladesh National Cadet Corps and Rover Scouts were at work at the venue to maintain order in the area.

MESSAGES

President Zillur in his message recalled with profound reverence the unfading memories of the language martyrs, namely Barkat, Rafiq, Salam, Jabbar, Shafique and many others unknown, who made the supreme sacrifice in 1952, and prayed to the Almighty for the salvation of the departed souls.

"The great language movement is a historical and significant event in our national history. This movement not only achieved the demand of mother tongue but also revealed the sense of Bangalee nationalism and inspired tremendously to achieve independence. This spirit of Bangalee nationalism paved the way for the long-cherished independence in 1971."

He also recalled with deep respect Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and then member of Legislative Assembly Dhirendra Nath Dutta, whose undaunted courage and indomitable inspiration finally helped Bangalee achieve the status of mother tongue.

"Language movement inspires us to protect and bring up our own language and heritage as well as reminds us to oppose all injustice and unfairness. Therefore, the 21st Feb not only inspires the growth of our own language, literature and culture, but also encourages to preserve and promote the language and cultures of various nations around the world," he added.

Prime minister Hasina in her message extended her best wishes to the Bangla-speaking people at home and abroad, and people of all languages and cultures across the world on the occasion of the glorious International Mother Language Day.

"The greatest Ekushey is the symbol of grief, strength and glory in the life of every Bangalee. On this day in 1952, many valiant sons of the soil, including Rafiq, Shafique, Jabbar, Barkat, Shafiuddin and Salam, sacrificed their lives for protecting the dignity of the mother tongue."

"I pay my highest respect to the memories of the martyrs. I also pay homage to the greatest Bangalee of all times, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who steered the language movement." She also recalled with great reverence contributions of all other language veterans.

She said that the International Mother Language Day is now a source of inspiration for all the people of the world in establishing the truth and justice. She said she has already placed the demand in the UNGA to make Bangla, spoken by 250 million people of the world, as one of the official languages of the UN.

Hasina further said the government established International Mother Language Institute for carrying out research on all languages of the world and preserving those. An International Mother Language Institute Act has also been enacted.

"The greatest Ekushey is the symbol of our democratic values, Bangalee nationalism, spirit of liberation struggle and secularism. We have made good progress towards realisation of the pledges made to build a modern digital Bangladesh free from hunger, poverty, terrorism, communalism and illiteracy in the last three years' journey of our government."

The prime minister urged the countrymen to make a fresh vow to work together to improve the lot of the people sinking all differences.

BACKGROUND

On Feb 21, 1952, students at Dhaka University took to the street in protest against the then government's denial of Bangla as the national language and imposition of Urdu as the sole official language of Pakistan.

Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar and a few other brave sons of the soil were killed in a police firing on this day in 1952 when students moved out in a procession from the Dhaka University campus, breaching Section 144, demanding recognition of Bangla as a state language of the then Pakistan.

The Pakistan government was ultimately compelled to incorporate an article in the constitution on Feb 29 in 1956 that declared "the state language of Pakistan shall be Urdu and Bengali".

The protest sparked on Feb 21, 1952 culminated into the long-drawn struggle that eventually led to the birth of independent Bangladesh in 1971.

On Nov 17 in 1999, the UNESCO declared Feb 21 as the International Mother Language Day. Since then countries across the globe observe the day to promote linguistic diversity and multilingual education, and raise awareness about cultural traditions based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.