The supreme sacrifice of the language heroes on this day 69 years back is being remembered as people are paying glowing tributes to 1952 language martyrs by placing wreaths at the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar at midnight maintaining health guidelines.

Military secretaries to the President and the Prime Minister placed wreaths on their behalf at the Central Shaheed Minar at one minute past zero hours.

The immortal song on Amar Ekushey–“Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February”- was playing on the loudspeaker on the occasion.

Later, sergeant-at-arms on behalf of Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on behalf of Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and GM Quader on behalf of Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Begun Rowshan Ershad placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar.

Among other AL leaders, presidiums members Matia Chowdhury and Faruk Khan and joint secretary and information minister Dr Hasan Mahmud also paid homage to the language movement martyrs.

Cabinet members, advisers to the prime minister, parliament members, chiefs of three services, diplomats, freedom fighters, and high civil and military officials also placed wreathes on the occasion.

People representing different political and other organisations then thronged the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar to offer their floral tributes maintaining health guidelines.

Later, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman, Dhaka University Teachers’ Association, Sector Commanders Forum, war-wounded freedom fighters of the 1971 Liberation War, different political parties and socio-cultural organisations paid their homage.

Later on, the Shaheed Minar was opened to the public when hundreds of people from all walks of life walked barefoot to it with flowers in hands and humming “Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February” to recall the supreme sacrifice of the language heroes on this day in 1952.
The day is also being observed around the world as the UNESCO recognised the February 21 as the International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999.

The government took extensive programmes to observe the ‘Shaheed Dibash’ and the International Mother Language Day in a befitting manner.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate messages paying rice tributes to those who embraced martyrdom on the day.

Different political-social-cultural-professional organisations, including the ruling Awami League, also have taken various programmes such as seminars and cultural functions, to observe the Amar (immortal) Ekushey and International Mother Language Day in a befitting manner.

National flags have been kept half-mast in a proper manner having accurate size at all the government, semi-government, autonomous and private organisations and educational institutions.

In line with the national programmes, all educational institutions, local government bodies, district and upazila administration, Bangladeshi missions abroad have taken proper measures considering the COVID-19 situation to observe the day.