Nation pays homage to Ekushey martyrs

The nation today pays glowing tribute to the Language Movement martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the mother tongue 57 years ago.

President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar one minute past zero hours amid tight security to pay homage to the Language Movement heroes.

The speaker and the deputy speaker in the parliament, the cabinet members, BNP Chairperson and leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia, the Dhaka city corporation mayor and the vice chancellor of Dhaka University, among others, placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar.

Stringent security measures were taken in and around the Central Shaheed Minar following yesterday's militant attack in Gazipur and threats of attacks on Ekushey programmes by outlawed militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh.

About 7,000 policemen and over 600 members of Rab were deployed at the Shaheed Minar and Azimpur graveyard.

Police said people would be allowed to enter the Shaheed Minar after being checked through the archways set at Palashi point. Many were seen returning home failing to enter the Shaheed Minar.

Despite the tight security, thousands of barefoot people from all walks of life placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar to pay tribute to the Language Movement martyrs.

Bangladesh Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, National Awami Party (Nap-Bhashani), Bangladesh National Awami Party, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote, Dhaka Reporters Unity, Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Gosthi, Bangladesh Sangskritik Karmi Shangha, Bangladesh Abritti Samannay Parishad and Memorial Preservation of Language Movement Forum will hold various programmes on the occasion.

Thousands of people thronged the Shaheed Minars across the country to pay respect to the Language Movement martyrs.

On this day in 1952, students and people from all strata of society took to the streets in Dhaka to protest the then Pakistan government's refusal to recognise Bangla as one of the state languages and imposition of Urdu as the only official language of Pakistan.

Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Shafiur, Jabbar and a few other brave sons of the soil sacrificed their lives on this day to establish Bangla as one of the state languages of the then Pakistan.

The day has since been observed as the Language Martyrs Day, which the Unesco later declared as the International Mother Language Day.

The Pakistan government was ultimately compelled to include an article in the country's constitution on February 29, 1956 that declared, "The state languages of Pakistan shall be Urdu and Bengali."

The Language Movement is indeed the most important turning point in the history of Bangalees as its spirit led to the independence of Bangladesh.

On November 17, 1999, the Unesco declared February 21 as the International Mother Language Day. Countries across the globe have been observing the day since then to promote linguistic diversity and multilingual education and raise awareness of cultural traditions based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.

The Central Shaheed Minar and its adjacent areas have had a facelift on the occasion, and roads and medians have been festooned with Bangla alphabets and the national flag.

The day is a public holiday. The national flag will be hoisted at half-mast atop all government, autonomous and private buildings.

UNB Adds: Opposition leader and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia today alleged that there was no neutral projection in paying tributes at the Central Shaheed Minar.

“You've failed to maintain neutrality in conducting the ceremony,” she told Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof Arefin Siddiquie and his colleagues after placing wreaths at the altar of the memorial after midnight.