The New Nation - Internet Edition

President Iajuddin Ahmed, Chief Adviser Dr.
Fakhruddin Ahmed paying homage to the Language Martyrs at
the Central Shaheed Minar at midnight-Wednesday. NN
photo

Awami League leaders led by Tofael Ahmed, Amir
Hossain Amu and Matia Choudhury placing wreath at the
Central Shaheed Minar on the occasion of Ekushey February.
NN photo

BNP leaders led by Party Secretary General Khandaker
Delwar Hossain and Brigadier General (retd) Hannan Shah
placing wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar on February
21st night to pay homage to the language martyrs. PID
photo

Staff Reporter

Amar Ekushey February was observed on Thursday with paying huge respect to the language martyrs in the country as well as abroad. The Central Shaheed Minar was be decked with flowers as thousands barefooted, wearing black ribbons and holding bouquets close to their bosoms thronged there to pay homage to the brave sons of the soil who laid down their lives in 1952 for mother tongue Bangla.

At 12:01am, President Dr Iajuddin Ahmed led the nation in paying homage to the martyrs placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar, while Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed followed him.

They stood there in solemn silence for a minute paying their respect to the language movement heroes.

With daybreak people kept flooding in leaving hardly any space for free movement at the Central Shaheed Minar, symbol of the spirit of not bowing to repression.

The road from Shahbagh inter-section to Doyel Chattar turned into a river of people humming the song, "Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February." The roads from Nilkhet, Palashi and Chankharpool top the Shaheed Minar seemed like a human see.

While different organisations placed bouquets with a single rose or a tuberose, toddlers holding their mothers' hands or riding on their fathers' shoulders.

Freedom fighters, language movement veterans, physically challenged people, youths, day labourers, workers, homeless people, academicians, intellectuals, politicians and foreigners walked in queues.

Imbued with the spirit of patriotism, people from all walks of life demanded restoration of democracy, trial of war criminals and establishment of a corruption-free society.

On February 21, 1952, Salam, Barkat, Shafiur, Rafique, Jabbar and a few other brave sons of the soil sacrificed their lives to establish Bangla as one of the state languages of the then Pakistan.

The day has since been observed as the Language Martyrs Day. The UNESCO declared it International Mother Language Day in November 1999.

People outside Dhaka and Bangladesh missions abroad also paid homage to the martyrs placing flowers after midnight at Shaheed Minars.

The Central Shaheed Minar and its surrounding areas received a facelift on the occasion. Streets and their central reservations were decorated with festoons inscribed with Bangla letters and the national flag.

Poetry recitation started long before people started paying homage to the martyrs and continued till 12:00am. After a four-hour break, it continued for five more hours.

The Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Mayor of Dhaka City Corporation, foreign diplomats, representatives of international organisations in Dhaka, Vice Chancellor and teachers of Dhaka University, leaders and workers of different political and socio-cultural organisations as well as thousands of people placed wreaths later.