Since the early hours of Wednesday country’s air starts filling with the melancholy tune of the mournful song ‘My Brothers Blood Spattered 21 February, Can I forget the twenty-first of February incarnadined by the love of my brother?’(Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February Ami ki Bhulite Pari?). We pay our deep respects and rich tributes to the martyrs of the Language Movement today (Wednesday), marking ‘Amar Ekushey,’ Shaheed Dibash (Martyrs’ Day) and International Mother Language Day with a renewed pledge to further enrich develop the rich Bangla language.
Wearing of black badges since Tuesday midnight people from all walks of life start bringing out Provat Feri (procession) from their respective places across the country as a mark of respects to the Language Movement martyrs. With the procession, people are also paying homage to the language movement martyrs by placing wreaths at Azimpur graveyard and later at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital Dhaka.
On this day in 1952, students and the common people in Dhaka took to the streets in protest against the then Pakistan government’s denial of Bangla as the state language and imposition of Urdu as the only official language of Pakistan. Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar and some other brave sons of the soil were killed in police firings on this day in 1952 when students came out in a procession from the Dhaka University campus breaching section 144 to press home their demand for the recognition of Bangla as a state language of then Pakistan.
Enrich the Bangla language
and make country’s hard-earned
independence more meaningful
When the warm sunshine, budding flowers and dancing of birds were giving a fresh and colorful look to the nature, the killing of the valiant sons of the soil sent shock waves throughout the country. The blazing red and yellow colours of the spring were also faded and far away dissolved into silence.
But the Bengali people turned the grief of the loss of their sons into strength and promised they would continue to fight to make their country independent. The significance of the day is very important to all the Bangla-speaking and people speaking other languages across the globe as the spirit of Amar Ekushey has become an inspiration to preserve the dignity of their respective languages and cultures spreading the history and traditions of 1952 Movement.
When Amar Ekushey knocks at the door each year, country’s people especially the young generation observe the day with a fresh vow to work unitedly in order to enrich the Bangla language and make country’s hard-earned independence more meaningful.
The Language Movement was the turning point of the country’s history as it influenced the Bengali people to prepare for the supreme sacrifices and finally achieve the victory.
And after the 19 years of Language Movement, the country achieved its cherished independence on December 16, 1971 at the cost exchange of three million lives and the honour of two lakh women.
We all have to flourish Bangla language, literature and culture further in the international arena. Showing the utmost respects to the language martyrs, we think the government would introduce Bangla at all levels.
