WEB DESK

Bangladesh today observed the Shaheed Dibash known as ‘Amar Ekushey’ across the country to pay tribute to the martyrs of language movement.

The day is observed as Shaheed Dibash to commemorate the martyrs who were killed in firing by the Pakistani police on 21 February 1952 in Dhaka.

The students were agitating to establish Bangla as the state language of Pakistan. Bangladesh was part of the then Pakistan which had declared Urdu as the only state language for both West Pakistan and East Pakistan which became Bangladesh after the liberation war of 1971.

Later in 1956 Pakistan was forced to recognise Bangla as one of the state languages but the agitation did not stop. It subsequently galvanised people into waging a victorious war of liberation against Pakistan in 1971. India played a key role in the liberation war of Bangladesh.

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh paid tribute to the language martyrs by placing wreath at the Shaheed Minar in Dhaka immediately after midnight. The national flag of Bangladesh flew at half mast on all official buildings.

A large number of dignitaries including the Speaker of Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, , chiefs of three armed forces, leader of the Opposition in Parliament Begum Raushan Ershad, ministers and dignitaries paid tributes at the Shaheed Minar.

Throughout the day huge number of people including students from schools and colleges and common people thronged the Shahid Minar area in Dhaka University to play floral tributes to the language martyrs.

Tight security measures have been enforced in and around the Central Shaheed Minar. CCTV cameras have also been installed in the surrounding areas of the Shaheed Minar.