The nation is set to observe the 'Shaheed Dibash' (Martyrs Day) and the International Mother Language Day tomorrow (21 February) with due respect.

People from all walks of life will pay glowing tributes to the memories of language movement martyrs, the valiant sons of the soil who fought and died on February 21 in 1952 to make mother tongue Bangla a state language.

The day will also be observed around the world as the UNESCO recognised the ‘February 21 (Ekushey February)’ as the International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999.

The government has already taken extensive programmes to observe the ‘Shaheed Dibash’ and the International Mother Language Day in a befitting manner.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lead the nation to pay respect to language martyrs by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar beside Dhaka Medical College and Hospital at one minute past zero hour.

Both the president and the premier will issue separate messages paying rich tributes to those who embraced martyrdom on the day.

The day is a public holiday.

In observance of the day, the Central Shaheed Minar premises is being decorated with paintings, graffiti, buntings and selected verses on the mother language.

Tight security measures have been enforced around the main altar of the Shaheed Minar, its adjoining areas and Azimpur graveyard of the language martyrs.

Different political-social-cultural-professional organizations, including the ruling Awami League, have taken various programmes such as seminars and cultural functions, to observe the Amar (immortal) Ekushey in a befitting manner.

The Cultural Affairs Ministry has drawn up an elaborate programme to observe the day at national level.

The national flags will be kept half-mast in a proper manner having accurate size at all the buildings of government, semi-government, autonomous and private organisations and educational institutions.

In line with the national programmes, all educational institutions, local government bodies, district and upazila administrations, Bangladesh missions abroad will take proper measures to observe the day.

On this day in 1952, students and people from all strata of 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 its attempt to impose Urdu as the only official language of Pakistan.

Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Shafiur, Jabbar and a few other brave sons of the soil sacrificed their lives to establish Bangla as a state language of the then Pakistan. 

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.

BDST: 1133 HRS, FEB 20, 2024
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