The nation is paying tribute to the language martyrs on the occasion of ‘Shaheed Dibash’ (Martyrs’ Day) and International Mother Language Day.

People from all walks of life are walking barefoot with flowers in their hands to Shaheed Minars humming the historic immortal song on Amar Ekushey “Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February, Ami Ki Bhulitey Pari?” to pay homage to the memories of the Language Movement martyrs, the valiant sons of this soil who made supreme sacrifice on 21 February 1952 to make Bangla as state language.

The day is also being observed around the world as UNESCO recognised ‘21 February (Ekushey February)’ as International Mother Language Day on 17 November 1999.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus led the nation to pay respect to language heroes at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital early Friday.

The president arrived at the Shaheed Minar at 11:59pm on Thursday and placed a wreath at 12:01am on Friday.

Prof Yunus arrived on the Shaheed Minar premises when the clock struck 12 midnight and placed a wreath at 12:12am.

Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and justices of the Appellate Division and the High Court Division, advisory council members, ambassadors, high commissioners, diplomats, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Navy Chief Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, 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 laurels successively after the chief adviser.

Later, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) Director General Maj Gen Md Faizur Rahman, Border Guard Bangladesh DG Maj Gen Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, Rapid Action Battalion DG AKM Shahidur Rahman, National Security Intelligence DG Maj Gen Abu Mohammad Sarwar Farid, and Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Tanvir Ahmed on behalf of the district magistrates paid their tributes at the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar.

Meanwhile, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan along with its other bodies paid tribute to the language heroes with floral garlands on behalf of the DU family.

Among the political parties and student organisations, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), Workers Party, JASOD, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal, Samyabadi Dal, Gono Forum, Chhatra Union, Chhatra Front, and Chhatra Federation paid homage to the language martyrs.

Afterward, the area was opened to the public.

In observance of the day, the Central Shaheed Minar premises have been decorated with paintings, graffiti, buntings and selected verses in the mother language.

Tight security measures have been enforced around the Central Shaheed Minar and its adjoining areas.

Meanwhile, different political, social, cultural, and professional bodies have taken various programmes to observe the day in a befitting manner.

The national flags have been kept half-mast in a proper manner at all the buildings of government, semi-government, autonomous, private organisations, and educational institutions.

All educational institutions, local government bodies, district and upazila administrations, and Bangladesh missions abroad have taken proper measures to observe Amar Ekushey.

Public and private media telecast special programmes while newspapers published special supplements marking the day.

The day is a public holiday.

On the eve of the day, both the president and the chief adviser issued separate messages paying rich tribute to those who embraced martyrdom during the Language Movement.

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 its attempt to impose Urdu as the only official language of Pakistan.