The Shaheed Dibash (Martyrs' Day), the Independence Day, Pahela Baishakh or Bangla Navabarsa (New Year's Day), and the Bijoy Dibash (Victory Day) are the national days commonly observed in Bangladesh.
Since the birth of Bangladesh, the 21st of February (Ekushey February) has been officially honored as Shaheed Dibash (Martyrs' Day). On this day in 1952, students and youths demonstrated against the then-governing party's imposition of Urdu as Pakistan's sole state language.
The Bangali people considered this as a plot against their culture. When students staged a parade that day in contravention of an official prohibition order, police opened fire on the demonstrators, killing several students and members of the public.
Among those killed were Abul Barkat, Abdus Salam, Abdul Jabbar, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, and an unknown number of others. The resulting public uprising was so violent that the Pakistani government was forced to concede and recognize Bangla as one of the country's state languages.
This was the Bangalis' first important success over Pakistan's governing clique's attempts at cultural subversion. Since then, the occasion has served as an inspiration for the Bangalis in their struggle for autonomy and, eventually, independence.
The day was also designated as an international mother tongue day by UNESCO in 1999, and it has been commemorated globally since 2000 AD. The Shaheed Day is a sad occasion, beginning at midnight when streams of people descend the stairs of the Central Shaheed Minar (which has replicas throughout the country) to lay floral wreaths.
The crowd either walks silently or chants the classic Ekushey's hymn, 'Amar bhaiyer raktey rangano Ekushey February, Ami ki bhulitey pari' (How can I forget the 21st February, which is stained with the blood of my brothers).
Additionally, people walk barefoot to the martyrs' graveyards. The entire Shaheed Minar transforms into a veritable sea of flowers by early morning.
The walls of Dhaka University's campus in front of the Shaheed Minar are festooned with quotations from Bangla literature, and poets can be seen reciting poems from road islands. On this occasion, a month-long book fair is also conducted on the grounds of the Bangla Academy.
Bangladesh declared independence on 26 March 1971, following a Pakistani army crackdown on the night of 25 March 1971. The day has been honored as Independence Day ever since. On 3 October 1980, President Ziaur Rahman's government declared it to be a National Day as well.
The National Flag is raised atop all public buildings on this day, and the streets and houses are festooned with banners and festoons. The school children participate in a parade, activities, and sports in the morning, and in the evening, cultural and film performances are performed, and the streets are illuminated. In hospitals, orphanages, and prisons, a special diet is provided.
Since time immemorial, the Bangla Navabarsa or Pahela Baishakh has been a part of the country's folk heritage. Baishakhi Mela, or festival, is the year's oldest and largest secular event and is deeply ingrained in indigenous Bangali culture.
The Bangla calendar is inextricably related to the country's economy and productivity and serves as the foundation for Bangali nationalism. The calendar is based on the agricultural cycle, as evidenced by the fact that the Bangla year was also referred to as the 'fasli year' or crop year. It is secular in nature and freely draws on both Sanskrit and Perso-Arabic traditions.
Bijoy Dibash marks the day in 1971 (16 December) when 90,000 troops of the Pakistan occupation army surrendered at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka to the united forces of Bangladesh and India. The day is marked with appropriate seriousness and patriotic zeal.
The morning's first beam is celebrated by a 31 gun salute. In the capital Dhaka, a ceremonial military parade is generally held in which all uniformed services are represented. Hundreds of thousands of spectators converge on National Parade Square to witness this parade.
Floral wreaths are strewn at Savar's Jatiya Smriti Saudha (National Memorial Monument) in honor of those who gave their lives for the country's liberation.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to Bangladesh Post YouTube channel for latest news. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
