President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have paid homage to the martyrs of the historic Language Movement by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar at one minute past midnight tonight on the occasion of Amar Ekushey, also designated by the UN as International Mother Language Day.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived at the Shaheed Minar a few minutes before the clock struck 12. President Abdul Hamid reached moments later, just before the zero hour, reports the UNB.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina solemnly proceeded to the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar together in slow pace as the immortal song on Amar Ekushey– “Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February”– was playing.
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.
The President was the first to lay the wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar. Just after the President, the Prime Minister placed her wreath.
They stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the Language Heroes.
Ministers, advisers to the Prime Minister, parliament members, and chiefs of three services, diplomats, senior Awami League leaders, and high civil and military officials were present on the occasion.
Later, Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Deputy Speaker Md Fazle Rabbi Miah, Leader of the Opposition Begum Raushan Ershad among others placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar.
On arrival at the Shaheed Minar, the President was received by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University Professor Dr AASM Arefin Siddique.
Flanked by cabinet members and senior leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Bangladesh Awami League, later placed another wreath at the Shaheed Minar on behalf of the party.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia along with her party’s leaders and activists paid homage to the Language Movement martyrs by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar around 1:30 am.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 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 programs 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.
