Honouring the martyrs of 1952
"Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano Ekushey February Ami Ki Bhulitey Pari..."
The song that epitomises Amar Ekushey not only has a special place in the hearts of Bangalees, it also lifts their spirits.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Humming the tune, thousands of people from all walks of life thronged the capital's Central Shaheed Minar and elsewhere to pay homage to the Language Movement heroes today.
Bare-footed and holding flowers, they wore black and white to honour the supreme sacrifice.
The Shaheed Minar premises, adorned in different colours, wore a festive look with street paintings and graffiti in Bangla alphabets and selected verses about the mother language on the walls.
Programmes including discussions and cultural sessions nationwide and in Bangladesh missions abroad reminisced the sacrifice made by Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar, Shafique and others, according to messages received yesterday.
The day is being observed worldwide as the Unesco in 1999, declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day.
On February 21, 1952, students and people from all walks of life took to the streets in Dhaka to protest the then Pakistan government's refusal to recognise Bangla as one of the state languages and imposition of Urdu as the only official language of Pakistan.
Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Shafiur, Jabbar and a few others were killed when police opened fire on their procession.
In Dhaka, people gathered at the Shaheed Minar since the early hours to pay homage to the language heroes.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the Language Movement, marking the day. One-minute past midnight, the president laid a wreath. Prof Yunus paid his tributes around 12:10am after the president left the Shaheed Minar premises.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan received them upon arrival.
Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed with other judges paid their tributes and then the advisers to the interim government, foreign diplomats, invited guests and high-ranking military and civil officials, Dhaka University teachers paid their tributes at the alter.
Various parties including BNP, JCD, Workers Party, Jasod, CPB, Gono Forum, Chhatra Union, Chhatra Front, and Chhatra Federation also paid their tributes. Later, the Shaheed Minar was opened to public.