The altar of the Shaheed Minar was covered in flowers at dawn on Friday as people thronged the site to pay tribute to the Language Movement martyrs on Martyrs’ Day and International Mother Language Day.
People from all walks of life, including representatives of various organisations and educational institutions, lined up in long queues to place wreaths at the memorial. Members of BNCC and the Scouts maintained order at the venue.
Among the institutions seen paying homage were Eden Women’s College, Brac University, Chhayanaut, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Bangladesh Scouts, Udichi and Bangladesh Chhatra Union.
Many individuals also arrived independently, some accompanied by their children.
Abdul Haque, who came to pay tribute, said: “This day is our inspiration. It is the foundation of our freedom. When attempts were made to take away our language, students sacrificed their lives to establish Bangla. Such sacrifice is rare in history.”
As the morning progressed, the number of people visiting the Shaheed Minar continued to increase.