Dhaka, Feb 21 (UNB) – Thousands of people from two neighbouring countries, Bangladesh and India came into one platform showing deep affection for mother tongue on International Mother Language Day, at no-man’s land between Benapole and Petrapole on Thursday.
Forgetting borders, defying the barbed wire people in groups joined the assembled carrying banners, festoons and placards for their mother tongue while no border security from Bangladesh or India prevented them from crossing the border either.
Singing “Amar Bhaiyer Raktey Rangano Ekushey February, Ami Ki Bhulitey Paari”, they paid rich tributes to the Language Movement martyrs by placing floral wreaths at a makeshift Shaheed Minar there.
Border security forces of the two countries also greeted each other with flowers on the occasion.
State Minister for Bangladesh local Government, Rural Development and Cooperative Ministry Swapan Bhattyacharya, lawmaker of Jashore-1 constituency Sheikh Afil Uddin, paid tribute to the martyrs around 9 am.
Benapole Customs Commissioner Belal Hossain, Jashore Deputy Commissioner Abdul Awal, Police Superintendent Moinul Haque, Awami League president of Sharsha upazila unit Sirajul Haque Monju were also present there among others.
Many also participated in a blood donation drive.
Guests from India included West-Bengal government’s Food Minister Jyotipriya Mallick , lawmakers Sreemoti Mamata Thakur and Biswajit Das, North 24 Porgona Zila Parishad president Bina Mandal, vice president Shree Krishna Gopal Banerjee, Biswajit Das, MLA of Bongaon (North).
Several socio-cultural and political organisations also joined the programme where among others, singer Mainul Ahsan Noble, Noor Jahan Alim, Poushali Banerjee
were present.
Addressing the programme, Indian Minister Jyotipriya Mallick said “I have
come here to respond to the call of the mother tongue. I’m overwhelmed to see the friendly people of both the countries observing the day together.”
“We don’t want the border and fence, we want restriction free communication between the both the countries”, he said.
The no-man’s land was decorated with colorful festoon, banner, placard and flowers where people crossing the borders greeted each other with love and brotherhood.
Gopal Chinayya Shetty, Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of India, said people of this soil have set a rare example of sacrificing life for their mother tongue.
He hoped that such a gathering would bring the people of the two neighboring countries closer.
