The supreme sacrifice of the language heroes on this day, 70 years back, is being remembered as people are paying glowing tributes to 1952 language martyrs by placing wreaths at the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar at midnight tonight maintaining health guidelines.
On behalf of the President and the Prime Minister, President’s Military Secretary Major General SM Salahuddin Islam and Prime Minister’s Military Secretary Major General Naquib Ahmed Chowdhury placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar at one minute past zero hours.
The immortal song on Amar Ekushey–“Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February”- was playing on the loudspeaker on the occasion.
Later, sergeant-at-arms on behalf of Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Awami League Presidium Member Matia Chowdhury, Nurul Islam Nahid, Shajahan Khan and Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya Bir Bikram on behalf of Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu on behalf of Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Begum Rowshan Ershad placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Among others, AL Joint-General Secretary Dr Dipu Moni and Dr Hassan Mahmud, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, Secretary of Forestry and Environmental Affairs Delwar Hossain and Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan also paid homage to the language movement martyrs.
Chiefs of three services, ambassadors, high Commissioners, chief of deferent international organizations, attorney general, diplomats, freedom fighters and high civil and military officials also placed wreaths on the occasion.
People representing different political and other organisations then thronged the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar to offer their floral tributes maintaining health guidelines.
Later, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman, Dhaka University Teachers’ Association, war-wounded freedom fighters of the 1971 Liberation War, different political parties and socio-cultural organisations paid their homage.
Later on, the Shaheed Minar was opened to the public when hundreds of people from all walks of life walked barefoot to it with flowers in their hands and humming “Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February” to recall the supreme sacrifice of the language heroes on this day in 1952.
The day is also being observed around the world as UNESCO recognised February 21 as the International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999.
The government took extensive programmes to observe the ‘Shaheed Dibash’ and the International Mother Language Day in a befitting manner.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate messages paying rice tributes to those who embraced martyrdom on the day.
Tight security was enforced around the main altar of the Shaheed Minar, its adjoining areas and Azimpur graveyard of the language martyrs.
Different political-social-cultural-professional organisations, including the ruling Awami League, also have taken various programmes such as seminars and cultural functions, to observe the Amar (immortal) Ekushey and International Mother Language Day in a befitting manner.
The Cultural Affairs Ministry has drawn up an elaborate programme to observe the ‘Shaheed Dibash’ (Language Martyrs Day) and the International Mother Language Day-2021 with solemn dignity.
