SHOHID MINAR
SHOHID MINAR
The twenty-first of February is International Mother Language Day, created by UNESCO to bring people's awareness to the importance of preserving vernacular language. This International recognition was inspired by the February 21, 1952 massacre of Dhaka University students who were gunned down as they protested the demand of West Pakistan for East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to give up Bangla and speak Urdu. Prior to the declaration of Mother Language Day, Bangladeshis observed this tragic event as Martyrs' Day. It is more popularly known in Bangladesh as Ekushey February which means 21 February. Bangladesh Agricultural University has a memorial on campus, and each year at this time students paint Bangla alphabet symbols on the road way. It is traditional to walk to the Shaheed Minor barefoot on this day, and school children, college students and faculty all participated in individual processions, some carrying wreaths and banners, some representing political parties. Armed guards were present because occasions like this offer an opportunity for extremists to make their presence known. I doubt that any of the participants were concerned about disruptions though, and it was quite touching to watch the proud and jubilant people go by. Even the poor women sweeping leaves on the side of the road had smiles as they watched young children skipping by with
Title: |
|
| Title: | A painter painting a banner for The Mother Language Day ( February 21 ) at Dhaka , Bangladesh . On February 21 , 1952 , corresponding to Falgun 8 , 1359 in the Bangla calendar , a number of students campaigning for the recognition of Bangla as one of the state languages of the then East Pakistan ( later Bangladesh ) were killed when police fired upon them . Since 2000 , 21 February observed as International Mother Language Day in tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for their mother tongue . January 8 , 2005 . |