Dhaka – The nation is observing Shaheed Day paying homage to the martyrs of the 1952 historic Language Movement from midnight past Saturday with due solemnity. The day is also the International Mother Language Day.
Walking barefoot processions to the Central Shaheed Minar with wreaths and bouquet of flowers and singing the ‘Amar Ekushey’ song, people from all walks of life are pay their deep respects to the heroes of the Language Movement, who sacrificed their lives for the recognition of Bangla as one of the state languages of erstwhile Pakistan.
President Md Abdul Hamid was first to pay tributes to the language martyrs by placing wreaths at the altar of the central Shaheed Minar after zero hour, followed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Sheikh Hasina along with her cabinet members, advisers, lawmakers and party leaders placed another wreath on behalf of her party.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was scheduled place wreaths along with acting party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other leaders.
Different political parties, their front organisations as well as socio-cultural organisations have taken various programmes to pay their homage to the language martyrs all day long.
Law enforcement agencies have taken all-out security measures in and round the Central Shaheed Minar to ensure smooth observance of Amar Ekushey.
On February 21, 1952, students and the common people in Dhaka took to the streets in protest against the then Pakistani government’s denial of Bangla as the national language and imposition of Urdu as the only official language of Pakistan.
Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar and a few other brave sons of the soil were killed in police firings on this day in 1952 when students came out in a procession from the Dhaka University campus breaching section 144 to press home their demand for the recognition of Bangla as a state language of then Pakistan.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Bnp chief Khaleda Zia have issued separate messages on the occasion.
In his message, President Abdul Hamid said, “We feel proud that crossing the boundary of the country the spirit of Amar Ekushey is inspiring people of various language across the globe to protect their own languages and cultures.”
In her message, the Prime Minister said Amar Ekushey is the symbol of democratic values, Banglee nationalism, spirit of Liberation War and secularism.
“Imbued with the spirit of Ekushey and the Liberation War, our government is working relentlessly for building Bangladesh a modern and prosperous country and free from hunger, poverty, communalism and illiteracy,” she added.
The ruling Awami League will hold a discussion marking the day on Monday at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at 3 pm.
In a message, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, also a former Prime Minister, recalled with deep respect all the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement and wished the success of the all programmes taken by different socio-cultural and political organisations to mark the day.
She also prayed for salvation of the departed souls of the martyrs of the Language Movement and conveyed her sympathy to the bereaved family members. – News Desk
