Amar Ekushey and International Mother Language Day was observed across Bangladesh on Tuesday paying rich tributes to the memory of the Language Movement martyrs.

People from all walks of life in bare feet poured into martyr’s memorial places across the country as the clock tick past February 20 to pay their rich tributes to those who made the supreme sacrifice in the Language Movement in 1952.

They paid tributes to language heroes, known and unknown, who gave their lives for the mother tongue Bangla, by placing flowers and wreaths at shaheed minars across the country.

Different organisations and local administrations also arranged elaborate programmes, including book fair, cultural function and discussion marking the day in districts and upazilas.

President Md Abdul Hamid was the first to place a wreath at the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar on behalf of the nation followed by prime minister Sheikh Hasina as the head of the government.

The president and the prime minister, who joined the observance after two years as they did not attend the programme in person due to the Covid pandemic, stood in solemn silence for a while as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the language heroes.

In Dhaka, thousands of people paid tributes to the language heroes placing wreaths or flowers at the Central Shaheed Minar as it was opened for people at about 12:20am after the state dignitaries paid tributes to the language heroes.

Different social, political and cultural organisations along with cross-section of people thronged into the Central Shaheed Minar.

The Ruling Bangladesh Awami League and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its affiliated organisations along with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Left Democratic Alliance, Gono Forum, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Dhaka University, Bangladesh Shilpkala Academy, Bangla Academy, Chhayanaut and University Grants Commission among others placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar on the day.

Ganatanra Mancha, a combine of seven political parties, on Wednesday condemned the attack on the leaders and activists of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal–JSD by Dhaka University proctorial team members while placing a wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar on the campus on early Tuesday.

Dozens were injured in AL factional and AL-BNP clashes while paying tributes to the shaheed minars at places, including in Chattogram, Feni, Jhenaidah and Manikganj.

At least 12 were injured as AL-backed student body Bangladesh Chattra League activists allegedly attacked the BNP on the way to shaheed minar at Sonagazi in Feni.

Two factions of the Bangladesh Chhatra League clashed at Chattogram University at about 1:00am over placing wreaths at the university shaheed minar, reports United News of Bangladesh. The clash left 20 activists injured, said the leaders of the two groups.

After placing a wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar at about 12:30pm, BNP Standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain alleged that they had to face obstructions while paying tribute as they had to wait five hours to place wreaths.  

‘We brought out a procession from Balaka Bhaban at about 7:30am and had to stand five hours in front of the Salimullah Muslim Hall. Some organisations’ names were announced time and again, but they did not leave the altar of Central Shahid Minar and spend time needlessly,’ he said, adding that it was a failure of the administration.

The BNP offered prayers at the graves of Language Movement martyrs at Azimpur graveyard at about 7:30pm.

Khandaker Mosharraf said that there was no democracy and human rights and the country’s economy had been destroyed due to looting and corruption of the ruling party.

‘People are struggling due to the price hike of essentials,’ he said.

There is no alternative to the resignation of the government, dissolution of parliament and an election under a neutral government to solve the crisis, he said.

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After placing wreaths at Azimpur graveyard on Tuesday morning, AL general secretary Obaidul Quader said that communal and extremist forces were trying to rise again under the leadership of the BNP, state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported.

Replying to the allegation of BNP leaders that the AL has destroyed electoral system establishing one-party rule, Quader said that the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League was formed in 1975.

‘The BKSAL was not a party. It was a national party comprising several political parties,’ he added.

‘I would like to remind BNP once again that Ziaur Rahman, the founder of BNP, joined BKSAL submitting an application to BKSAL chairman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman officially,’ he said.

The AL general secretary also demanded for making Bangla, mother tongue of about 30 crore people across the world, as an official language of the United Nations.

While talking to New Age at the Central Shaheed Minar on Tuesday, Dhaka Medical College resident surgeon Md Mahbubur Rahman Rajib said, ‘Our children are far away from culture and history. It is a matter of great joy that my children and nephew came at the Central Shaheed Minar, which is connected to our history.’

Mohammad Khokon, a flower trader, was found at the Central Shaheed Minar with his daughter on the shoulder from Rayerbazar.

‘I have brought my daughter so that she can know about the history of sacrificing lives for the mother tongue,’ Khokon said.

Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shiplakala Academy, Kabi Nazrul Institute, Bangladesh National Museum, and others arranged special programmes marking the day.

Bangladesh Shipakala Acamdey arranged a cultural programme at the central Shaheed Minar in the afternoon.

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

The state-run Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar as well as private television channels and radio stations telecasted and aired special programmes while newspapers published special supplements marking the day.

Bangladesh missions abroad also observed the day through various programmes showing due respect to language martyrs.

Black flags were hoisted to pay tribute to the martyrs, including Salam, Jabbar, Rafiq and Barkat, who were killed by police firing into a students’ procession that was brought out, defying ban on procession or gathering near Dhaka Medical College in the city, demanding Bangla as a state language, on February 21, 1952.