Nation has paid homage to the martyrs of the historic 1952 Language Movement on Sunday, marking the Language Martyrs Day and International Mother Language Day.
People from all walks of life thronged the Central Shaheed Minar in the Dhaka University area at midnight with floral wreaths and sang “Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February” in chorus to pay their deepest respects to the heroes of the Language Movement, who sacrificed their lives for the recognition of Bangla as the state language of the then East Pakistan.
On February 21, 1952, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abdul Jabbar, Abul Barkat, Abdus Salam and a nine-year-old boy named Ohiullah embraced martyrdom when police opened fire on a protest rally demanding Bangla as the state language in front of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Another Shafiur Rahman died the next day. The protests began against a conspiracy by the then Pakistan leaders to declare Urdu as the only state language.
Different political-social-cultural-professional organisations have chalked out various programmes, including seminars and cultural functions, to observe the Amar (immortal) Ekushey and International Mother Language Day in a befitting manner.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led the nation to paying homage by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar at one minute past midnight, according to the state news agency BSS.
Marking the day, the Shaheed Minar premises were decorated with paintings, buntings and Bangla verses upholding the spirit and sacrifice of the Language Movement. Tight security was ensured at and around the venue to avert any untoward incident.
Leaders of different political parties, teachers, students, diplomats and representatives of various organisations, among others, paid their homage to the martyrs at the Shaheed Minar.
The day iwas also observed across the world as the Unesco recognised February 21 as the International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999.
The day was a public holiday in Bangladesh. The national flag was hoisted at half-mast at all educational institutions and government, semi-government and autonomous offices.