The nation on Monday recalled the supreme sacrifice of the language heroes on this day 70 years back with a call for recognising Bangla as one of the UN official languages, marking “Shaheed Dibash” (Martyrs Day) and International Mother Language Day.
Thousands of people clad in black and white dresses especially traditional sharees and panjabees, who thronged the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka since midnight to pay their glowing tributes to the 1952 Language Movement martyrs, also demanded for launching Bangla everywhere.
Considering the prevailing Covid-19 situation and following the proper hygiene, however, a maximum of five-member delegate from each organisation and a maximum of two persons at the individual level were allowed to lay wreaths at the Shaheed Minar.
President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid their glowing tributes to the martyrs on the occasion of Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day.
On behalf of the president and the prime minister, their military secretaries paid the homage by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar at one minute past zero hours while the immortal song on Amar Ekushey - "Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February" - was being played on the loudspeaker.
The military secretaries stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the language heroes.
Later, on behalf of Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, sergeant-at-arms of the Parliament Secretariat and on behalf of JS Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah, assistant sergeant-at-arms; on behalf of Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, senior army officials, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Shaheen Iqbal and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar.
On behalf of Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, its Presidium member Begum Matia Chowdhury paid homage to the language martyrs by placing a wreath at the Shaheed Minar.
Among other Awami League leaders, Presidium members Nurul Islam Nahid, Shajahan Khan, and Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya Bir Bikram, joint general secretaries Education Minister Dipu Moni and Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud, Office Secretary Biplab Barua, Forestry and Environmental Affairs Secretary Delwar Hossain and Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan accompanied Matia Chowdhury during placing of the wreath.
On behalf of Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Begum Rowshan Ershad, Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu placed a wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar while on behalf 14-party alliance Awami League Joint General Secretary Dipu Moni and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haq Inu paid homage to the language martyrs.
On behalf of Bangladesh Police, Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Aktaruzzaman and foreign ambassadors to Bangladesh also paid tribute to the language martyrs by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Different political parties and socio-cultural organisations, Sector Commanders Forum, war-wounded freedom fighters of the 1971 Liberation War, attorney general, DU teachers' Association, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, director general of Rapid Action Battalion, home ministry and director general of Fire service and Civil Defence also paid homage to the language martyrs.
Among the political parties and student organisations Workers Party, JASOD, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal, BNP, Samyabadi Dal, Gono Forum, Dhaka city south and north units of Awami League, Awami Jubo League, Swechchhasebak League, Mahila Awami League, Juba Mahila League, Gonotantri Party, Bangladesh Chhatra League, Chhatra Union, Chhatra Front and Chhatra Federation paid homage to the language martyrs.
Besides, among the social, professional and cultural organisations and institutions, Bangla Academy, Dhaka Reporters' Unity, Shilpakala Academy, Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi, Kendriyo Khelaghar Asar, Bangabandhu Parishad, Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote, Bangabandhu Gobeshona Parishad, Amra Muktijoddhar Santan, DU Senate members and Dhaka University Journalists' Association paid tributes to the language heroes.
To mark the day, ruling Awami League kept the national and party flags half-mast and hoisted black flags atop at the AL's central office at Bangabandhu Avenue and Bangabandhu Bhaban and other unit offices of the party across the country at 6:30am.
Later, the party leaders and activists wore black badges at 7:00am while the ruling party brought out a Provat Feri (morning procession) in the city.
At first, the procession joined by Awami League leaders and activists went to Azimpur Graveyard and paid glowing tributes to the language heroes, including Abul Barkat, Abdul Jabber and Shafiur, by placing wreath.
Later, the procession ended at the Central Shaheed Minar following placing another wreath at the altar of the Shaheed Minar.
Awami League Presidium members Shajahan Khan and Abdur Rahman, joint general secretaries Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, organising secretaries Ahmed Hossain and Afzal Hossain, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Publicity and Publication Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Md Abdus Sabur, Cultural Affairs Secretary Asim Kumar Ukil, Office Secretary and Prime Minister's Special Assistant Biplab Barua, Deputy Secretary of Publicity and Publication Aminul Islam and Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan were present on the occasion, among others.
Marking the day, the highest security measures were enforced in and around the Central Shaheed Minar and Dhaka University campus to avoid any unwanted situation.
Key city points and crossings and intersections were decorated with festoons with inscriptions of Bangla letters.
Earlier, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday issued separate messages paying rich tributes to martyrs of the Language Movement.
The day is also being observed around the world as the UNESCO recognised the International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999.
Bangladeshi missions abroad also observed the day in a befitting manner.
On the occasion of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his special contribution to the language movement was projected in various programmes on the Martyrs' Day and the International Mother Language Day.
On the day, the national flag was kept at half-mast in all educational institutions, government, semi-government and autonomous offices and private buildings across the country.
Besides, offering Fateha, Quran khwani, Milad Mahfil and special munajat were offered at Azimpur graveyard in the capital for the martyrs of the Language Movement while special prayers were arranged at all places of worships across the country seeking eternal peace of the martyrs.
To mark the day, Islamic Foundation (IF) organised Quran khwani, discussion, doa and special prayers at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of martyrs.
State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan was present at the programme as the chief guest with IF Director General Md Mushfiqur Rahman in the chair.
Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Senior Pesh Imam Mufti Mawlana Mizanur Rahman conducted the munajat.
In line with the national programmes, the day was also observed at all educational institutions, city corporations, municipalities, district and upazila administrations and Bangladesh missions abroad.
The day was a public holiday.
To mark the day, the Central Shaheed Minar and its adjacent areas on the Dhaka University campus were decorated with street paintings and graffiti with Bangla alphabets and selected verses of eminent poets about the mother languages on the walls.
Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and private radio stations and television channels aired special programmes while national dailies published special supplements, highlighting the role of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the Language Movement.
The Mass Communication Department staged mobile musical function on streets through trucks and on waterways at Dhaka city's surrounding areas through water vessels and films and documentaries were screened at district and upazila levels.
The Department of Films and Publications published three types of posters - one for all, another for the children of schools and colleges and the last for the Bangladesh missions abroad and the foreign embassies in Dhaka.
Besides, children, students, the elderly people and the children with special needs were allowed to visit the National Museum and its affiliated branch museums and all the archeological sites and museums under the Department of Archaeology at free of cost.
On February 21, 1952, students and people from all walks of life under the All-Party Students Action Committee took to the streets in Dhaka to protest the then Pakistan government's refusal to recognise Bangla as one of the state languages and imposition of Urdu as the only official language of Pakistan.
Salam, Barkat, Rafique, Shafique, Jabbar and some others embraced martyrdom when police opened fire on the procession in front of the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.
The movement for Bangla, however, did not stop and the Pakistan government on February 29, 1956 was compelled to recognise Bangla as one of the state languages of Pakistan besides Urdu.
The decision, however, could not stop the movement against repression and misrule of the then Pakistani government and subsequently led to the War of Intendance and ultimately the emergence of independent Bangladesh.
