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The “Amar Ekushey” - Language Martyrs Day and International Mother Language Day was observed on Friday with due respect across the country, paying glowing tributes to the language martyrs.
People from all walks of life paid homage to the memories of the language movement heroes, the valiant sons of this soil who made supreme sacrifice to establish the rights of the mother tongue Bangla in 1952.
Thousands of people clad in black and white dresses especially traditional sharees and panjabees, who thronged the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka city since midnight to pay their glowing tributes to the 1952 language martyrs, also demanded for ensuring the use Bangla at everywhere.
The day was also observed around the world as the UNESCO recognised the 21st February (Ekushey February) as the International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999.
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus led the nation to pay respect to language heroes by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka at 12:12 am, while the immortal song Amar Ekushey-"Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February"- was played on the loudspeaker.
After paying tributes, he stood in solemn silence for a while as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the language heroes.
Earlier on his arrival, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan, Arts Faculty dean Dr. Siddiqur Rahman Khan, DU Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed, Deans of Science Faculty and Pharmacy Faculty and Registrar of the university welcomed the Chief Adviser.
Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and justices of the Appellate Division and the High Court Division, advisory council members, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Navy Chief Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, Air Force Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, ambassadors, high commissioners, diplomats of foreign missions in Dhaka, Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman, Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzat Ali and Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party Director General Maj Gen Abdul Motaleb Sazzad Mahmud laid the wreaths successively at the Shaheed Minar after the Chief Adviser.
Later, Director General of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) Major General Md Faizur Rahman, DG of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, DG of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) AKM Shahidur Rahman, DG of National Security Intelligence (NSI) Major General Abu Mohammad Sarwar Farid, District Commissioner of Dhaka District Tanvir Ahmed on behalf of the District Magistrates paid their tributes at the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar.
Among the political parties and student organisations, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Anti Discrimination Student Movement, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), Workers Party, JASOD, Jatiya Nagorik Committee, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal, Samyabadi Dal, Gono Forum, Chhatra Union, Chhatra Front and Chhatra Federation paid homage to the language martyrs.
Besides, among the social, professional and cultural organisations and institutions, Bangla Academy, Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU), Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka University Teachers Association, DU Senate members and Dhaka University Journalists' Association paid tributes to the language heroes.
Marking the day, the highest security measures were enforced in and around the Central Shaheed Minar and Dhaka University campus to avoid any unwanted situation. Key city points and crossings and intersections were decorated with festoons with inscriptions of Bangla letters.
Earlier on Thursday, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus issued messages paying rich tributes to martyrs of the Language Movement.
On the day, the national flag was kept at half-mast in all educational institutions, government, semi-government and autonomous offices and private buildings across the country.
Besides, Sura Fateha, Quran Khawani, Milad Mahfil and special munazat were organised at Azimpur graveyard seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of the language martyrs.
To mark the day, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir organised a doa mahfil and special prayers at central mosque of Dhaka University after Fajr prayer, seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of the martyrs.
Special prayers were arranged at all places of worship across the country as well.
In line with the national programmes, the day was also observed at all educational institutions, city corporations, municipalities, district and upazila administrations and Bangladesh missions abroad.
The day was a public holiday.
Marking the day, the Central Shaheed Minar and its adjacent areas of the Dhaka University campus were decorated with street paintings and graffiti with Bangla alphabets and selected verses of eminent poets about the mother languages on the walls.
Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and private radio stations and television channels aired special programmes while national dailies published special supplements, highlighting the significance of the day.
Besides, children, students, the elderly people and the children with special needs were allowed to visit the National Museum and its affiliated branch museums and all the archeological sites and museums under the Department of Archaeology at free of cost.
On February 21 in 1952, students and people from all walks of life under the All-Party Students Action Committee 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, Rafique, Shafique, Jabbar and some others embraced martyrdom when police opened fire on the procession in front of the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH).
The movement for Bangla, however, did not stop and the Pakistan government on February 29, 1956 was compelled to recognise Bangla as one of the state languages of Pakistan besides Urdu.
The decision, however, could not stop the movement against repression and misrule of the then Pakistani government and subsequently this movement led to the War of Liberation and ultimately the emergence of independent Bangladesh.