By NNN-BSS
Dhaka, Bangladesh : The nation has shown due respect to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives 56 years back for establishing Bangla as state language on February 21, 1952.
President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar as a mark of their deep respect to the memory of immortal martyrs of the great 1952 Language Movement.
At one minute past midnight on Thursday (Feb 21), the President first paid his tribute to the martyrs by placing wreaths at the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar in the city.
The Chief Adviser and the advisers of the caretaker government followed the President placing wreaths at the same altar paying their heart-felt homage to the memory of the great heroes, who made supreme sacrifices for the cause of mother language.
With the ceremonial military escorts, the President and the Chief Adviser also stood in solemn silence for some time after laying the wreaths.
After the President and the Chief Adviser, Speaker Barrister Jamir Uddin Sircar and Deputy Speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqi placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar as a mark of deep respect to the martyrs of the Language Movement.
Earlier, Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed received the President on the Central Shaheed Minar premises as he reached there just one minute before the midnight.
Afterwards, Mayor of Dhaka City Corporation, diplomats of various foreign missions in Bangladesh, Vice-Chancellor and teachers of Dhaka University paid their deep homage to the memory of the language martyrs.
Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, and private TVs and radios aired live the midnight Ekushey ceremony while cultural personalities added extra flavour to the occasion by reciting poems on the Amar Ekushey.
Leaders of Bangladesh Awami League led by presidium members Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed and Matia Chowdhury placed flowers at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Secretary General of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Khandaker Delwar Hossain and adviser to the BNP chairperson Brig (retd) Hannan Shah led a procession and placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar.
Leaders of various political parties, including Gono Forum led by its president Dr Kamal Hossain, Workers Party led by its president Rashed Khan Menon and JSD (Rab) led by party president ASM Abdur Rab, placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar.
Professional bodies, socio-cultural organisations and hundreds of people from all walks of life poured into the Shaheed Minar and placed wreaths in the early hours of the day, expressing deep homage to the language martyrs.
The day is being observed internationally as the UNESCO in 1999 declared it as the International Mother Language Day.
On February 21, 1952, Salam, Rafiq, Shafiq, Jabbar and Barkat embraced martyrdom in police firing in front of the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital as they took to the street defying prohibitory orders of the authorities to assemble or demonstrate for establishing language rights.
The language movement raised awareness, which ultimately led to the emergence of independent Bangladesh.
The day was a national holiday and the national flag has been raised half-mast atop buildings and installations across the
country.
Proceeding towards the Central Shaheed Minar in slow moving rocessions, people chanted, “Amar bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February, Ami Ki Bhulite Paari” (Can I forget February 21,drenched with my brothers’ blood), the immortal song, Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury wrote to commemorate the language martyrs.
Awami League brought out a procession to place wreaths at the mazars of the martyrs at the Azimpur Graveyard and also at the Central Shaheed Minar in the morning.
BNP held a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB), with the party’s secretary general in the chair.
A discussion was organised at the Fakhruddin Auditorium at the Foreign Ministry on the occasion of Ekushey. Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury addressed the discussion as the chief guest.
The UNESCO National Commission, Bangladesh, brought out a procession of students of various schools from Benbais Bhaban in the morning from Nilkhet-Palashi.
The Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) also paid respect to the language martyrs placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar led by its Director General (DG) Md Nazrul Islam.
Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) hoisted the black flag and the party flag at its party offices in the morning in observance of the Ekushey. Leaders and workers of the party placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Leaders and workers of Samajtantrik Chhatra Front and Charan Sanskritik Kendra also placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Jamaat-e-Islami organised a doa mahfil at its central office on the occasion of the International Mother Language Day. Ameer of the party Moulana Matiur Rahman Nizami addressed the function as the chief guest.
City Jamaat Ameer Moulana Rafiqul Islam chaired the function, while party’s secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid spoke was the special guest. Party’s assistant secretary general ATM Azharul Islam was present.
Tamuddin Majlish organised a discussion at the National Press Club and distributed padaks on the occasion of Ekushey. Former vice-chancellor of Dhaka University Prof Emajuddin Ahmed was present as the chief guest.
Manarat Dhaka International College organised a discussion and cultural function on the day.
Jashim Uddin Institute brought out a procession from its main campus at Zoar Sahara and placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar in front of the institute.
Integrated Education and Research Foundation (IERF), an education and research organisation, organised a discussion at its office at Purana Paltan on the day.
The Dhaka divisional district information office screened movies at Mirpur Shaheed Intellectual Monument on observance of the day.
Jahangirnagar University observed the day in a befitting manner. Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Khandaker Mustahidur Rahman led a procession to place wreaths at the Shaheed Minar on the university campus. A cultural programme was organised on the Shaheed Minar premises.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agriculture University observed the day in a befitting manner. The national flag was hoisted half-mast atop at the administrative buildings.
Vice-Chancellor of the university Dr Lutfur Rahman led a procession from the administrative building to place wreaths at the Shaheed Minar on the university campus. Teachers’ association leaders, students representatives parishad, hall provosts and employees association also placed wreaths.
A discussion was organised on the Shaheed Minar premises in the morning with students affairs director Prof Dr Md Abdul Mannan in the chair.
Islamic Foundation Bangladesh held a doa mahfil at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in observance of the day.