Bangladesh pays tribute to language martyrs of 1952

Bangladesh has paid deep respect and homage to the immortal martyrs of the Language Movement. On this day in 1952, February 21, young students took to the streets of Dhaka and shed their blood to establish the dignity of their mother tongue, Bengali, reported ANI.

The West Pakistani regime had declared Urdu as the sole state language of Pakistan. In protest, students in Dhaka rose up, and the regime opened fire on the demonstrators. However, the movement continued to grow, and eventually the West Pakistani authorities were forced to recognize Bengali as a state language.

In 1999, UNESCO declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day. Like people around the world, Bangladesh appropriately pays tribute to the immortal martyrs of the Language Movement and expresses profound respect for them.

In the early hours of the day, President Shahabuddin Ahmed and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman paid floral tributes at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka to mark the occasion. Later, people gathered at the Shaheed Minar and sang the immortal song- "Amar bhaier rokte rangano Ekushey February, ami ki bhulite pari?" ("My brother's blood-stained 21st February -- can I ever forget?").

Thousands of barefoot people offered floral tributes. Men and women from all walks of life -- representing various political parties, social organizations, and cultural groups -- paid their respects at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka, expressing profound reverence for the martyrs of the Language Movement.

"This unjust attempt to suppress the mother tongue awakened a profound national resolve, as students and citizens of erstwhile East Pakistan, today's Bangladesh, rose in solemn defiance. Through supreme sacrifice, they secured the right to their mother tongue, giving birth to our distinct national consciousness," President Shahabuddin said in a message.

"In 1999, Martyrs' Day was accorded international recognition as International Mother Language Day, a moment of profound pride for our nation. Today, the spirit of Ekushey continues to serve as a constant source of inspiration for people across the world in safeguarding their own languages and cultures," he added.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman also remembered the language heroes.

"The Language Movement not only established the right to our mother tongue but also laid a strong foundation for the essence of national sovereignty based on a unifying language, democratic aspirations, and cultural identity," he said in a separate message.