Amar Ekeshey and International Mother Language Day was observed in the country as elsewhere in the globe on Tuesday, commemorating the language martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the 1952 Language Movement with a patriotic zeal.
The Language Movement, the great event in the country's history, was aimed at establishing the rights of mother tongue as well as protecting culture and heritage.
The national flag was hoisted at half-mast atop all government and non-government offices, and educational institutions. Special prayers were offered at different religious institutions.
Government administration in all districts, socio-cultural and political organizations, professional bodies, and educational institutions organized different programmes to mark the day.
BOGURA: On this occasion, different programmes were organized in the district.
The programme began with placing wreaths on the Central Shaheed Minar at Shaheed Khokon Park in the district town at early hours.
Ragebul Ahsan Ripu, MP, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Saiful Islam and Superintend of Police (SP) Sudip Kumar Chakrabarty paid floral tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement there.
Then people from all walks of life placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar.
District Awami League (AL) organized a discussion meeting at its office in the town.
District AL President Mojibor Rahman Mojnu presided over the meeting.
Zilla Parishad Chairman Dr Moqbul Hossain, among others, also spoke at the programme.
District Unit of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) also arranged a discussion meeting at Bogura Press Club with its President Amzad Hossain in the chair.
BFUJ Vice-President Mahmudul Alam Noyon, Executive Members Akhteruzzaman and Pradip Bhatyacharya Shankar, and its General Secretary (GS) JM Rouf, among others, also spoke there.
Besides, discussion meetings were also held at Bogura Police Lines School and College at 11 am and the Ekushey Book Fair at Shaheed Khokon Park in the town in the afternoon.
FENI: To mark the day, wreaths were placed on Feni Central Shaheed Minar in the district town at 12:01am.
Judge of Supreme Court Mamunur Rahman, Nizam Uddin Hazari, MP, from Feni-2 Constituency, District and Sessions Judge AKM Ruhul Imran, DC Abu Salim Mahmud-ul Hasan, SP Zakir Hossain, Zilla Parishad Chiarman Khairul Bashar Majumder Tapan, Sadar Upazila Parishad Chairman Shushen Chandra Shill and Feni Municipality Mayor Nazrul Islam, among others, also paid floral tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement at that time.
District Civil Surgeon (CS) office, District AL, Jatiya Party, District Sports Association, Juba League, Mohila League, District Unit Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), Feni Press Club, and Bangladesh Photo Journalists' Association in Feni also placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar in phases.
JOYPURHAT: The day's programme began with placing wreaths at Joypurhat Central Shaheed Minar at Shaheed Dr Abul Kashem Moidan in the district town at 12:01am.
Advocate Shamsul Alam Dudu, MP, from Joypurhat-1 Constituency, DC Salehin Tanvir Gazi, SP Mohammad Nure Alam, Zilla Parishad Chairman Principal Khwaja Shamsul Alam, District AL President Arifur Rahman, and former commander of District Muktijoddha Sangsad Amzad Hossain paid tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement there.
Later on, District Unit BCL, Juba League, Shecchashebak League, Jatiya Party, CPB, JASAD, BASAD, Chhatra Union, District Anti-Corruption Commission, and Joypurhat Press Club, among different socio-cultural and political organizations, government and non-government offices, and educational institutions, also placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar there in phases.
Besides, the district administration arranged art, essay writing and recitation competition for children at District Government Public Library in the town on the occasion.
Offering special prayers for the eternal peace of the departed souls of the language martyrs, cultural programme participated by ethnic community people and a discussion meeting on 'Bangabandhu and the Language Movement' were also organized there.
KISHOREGANJ: To mark the day, different programmes were organized in the district.
District administration, District Police, Zilla Parishad, government officials, teachers and students of different educational institutions, Kishoreganj Press Club, and various socio-cultural and political organizations placed wreaths on Kishoreganj Central Shaheed Minar at Gurudayal Government College in the town at early hours.
LAXMIPUR: On this occasion, wreaths were placed on Laxmipur Central Shaheed Minar in the district town at 12:01am.
AKM Shahjahan Kamal, MP, from Laxmipur-2 Constituency, District AL GS Advocate Nuruddin Chowdhury Noyon, DC Anwar Hossain Akanda, SP Md Mahfuzzaman Ashraf, Zilla Parishad Chairman Freedom Fighter (FF) Md Shahjahan, Chief Executive Officer Reza Rafin Sarker, CS Dr Ahmed Kabir, Laxmipur Municipality Mayor Mozammel Haider Masum Bhuiyan, District Muktijoddha Former Deputy Commander FF Mahbubur Rahman, Sadar Upazila Parishad Chairman AKM Salauddin Tipu, Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Emran Hossain, Principal of Laxmipur Government College Professor Mahbubul Karim, Deputy Director of District Department of Agricultural Extension Dr Zakir Hossain, and Laxmipur Press Club President Hossain Ahmed Helal, among others, also paid floral tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement.
Besides, art and essay writing competition for children and prize distribution ceremony were also arranged in the district.
NETRAKONA: The programme began with lit up candles on District Central Shaheed Minar in the town at 12:01am.
Wreaths were then placed on the Shaheed Minar.
State Minister for Social Welfare FF Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru, MP, Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Sheikh Hasina University Professor Dr Golam Kabir, DC Anjana Khan Majlish, SP Foyez Ahmed, Zilla Parishad Chairman Advocate Asit Sarker Sajal, Sadar Upazila Parishad Chairman Alhaj Ataur Rahman Manik, Netrakona Municipality Mayor Alhaj Nazrul Islam Khan, District AL President FF Advocate Amirul Islam, and its GS Advocate Shamsur Rahman, among others, paid floral tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement at that time.
Besides, art competition for children, cultural programme and discussion meeting were also held on the occasion.
NOAKHALI: To mark the day, Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU) observed different programmes with due dignity.
On this occasion, a mourning procession was brought out from the administrative building in the morning, and it ended on the Central Shaheed Minar premises after parading the main streets on the campus.
NSTU VC Professor Dr.Dida-ul-Alam led the rally.
Wreaths were then placed on the Shaheed Minar.
NSTU VC Professor Dr Md Didar-ul-Alam and Pro-VC Professor Dr Mohammad Abdul Baki, NSTU Teachers Association, and various faculties, institutes, halls, departments, officers association, employees and various organizations of the university paid floral tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement.
Later on, a discussion meeting was held at the university. VC Professor Dr Md Didar-ul-Alam was present there as the chief guest.
RANGAMATI: In this connection, different programmes were organized in the district.
The programme began with placing wreaths on Rangamati Central Shaheed Minar in the town at 12:01am.
State Minister for Public Affairs Farhad Hossain, Dipankar Talukdar, MP, Rangamati DC Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Chattogram Hill Tracts Development Board Chairman Nikhil Kumar Chakma, Zilla Parishad Chairman Angsuipru Chowdhury, Rangamati Municipality Mayor Akbar Hossain Chowdhury, and Sadar Upazila Parishad Chairman Shahiduzzaman Selim also paid rick tribute to the heroes of the Language Movement.
Different socio-cultural and political organizations, government and non-government offices, professional bodies, various educational institutions, and moreover, people from all walks of life also placed wreaths on the Shaheed Minar there.
Besides, art competition for children, discussion meeting and cultural programme were also arranged on the DC office premises in the morning.
RAJBARI: The district administration organized different programmes in the town marking the day.
The national flag was hoisted at half-mast atop all the government, non-government and autonomous buildings in the town.
Wreaths were placed on the Shahid Minar at Shaheed Khushi Railway Maidan in the district town.
Kazi Keramat Ali, MP, DC Abu Kaiser Khan, SP MM Shakiluzzaman, former lawmaker and BNP leader Ali Newas Mahmud Khoium, and District AL GS Kazi Eradot Ali, among others, paid floral tribute to the heroes of the Language Movement there.
Government officials, FFs, heads of various educational institutions, professional bodies, socio-cultural activists, political leaders and eminent citizens including local journalists of electronic and print media also placed wreaths on the Shaheed Minar.
A discussion meeting was also held in the DC office conference room in the town with Additional DC Subarna Rani Shaha in the chair.
Special prayers were offered at different religious institutions in the district.
Besides, art and essay writing competition for children, prize distribution ceremony, and cultural function were also arranged.
RAJSHAHI: The day was observed in the district with due respect.
To mark the day, tributes were paid to the Language Movement martyrs by placing wreaths at the historic Bhuban Mohan Park Shaheed Minar at 12:01am.
In the beginning, the councillors paid tributes on behalf of the Honourable Mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) AHM Khairuzzaman Liton.
After that, tributes were paid separately by the officials and employees of RCC and the employees' union. Before this, one minute's silence was observed in memory of the martyrs.
Earlier, a mourning procession was brought out from Nagar Bhavan. The rally went around various roads and ended at Bhubanmohan Park Shaheed Minar.
RCC Panel Mayor-1 and Ward No. 12 Councillor Sariful Islam Babu spoke in a short discussion before laying wreaths at the Shahid Minar.
During the event, Panel Mayor-2 Rajab Ali, Panel Mayor-3 Tahera Khatun Milli, Chief Executive Officer Dr ABM Sharif Uddin, Ward Councillor No. 19 Tauhidul Haque Suman, Ward No. 7 Councillor Matiur Rahman, Ward No. 9 Councillor Russell Zaman, Ward No. 11 Councillor Rabiul Islam Taju, Ward No. 18 Councillor Shahidul Islam, Ward No. 20 Councillor Rabiul Islam Sarkar, Ward No. 27 Councillor Anwarul Amin, reserved seat councillors Shirin Ara Khatun, Majeda Begum, Umm Salma Bulbuli, Nadira Begum and Mukti Khatun, RCC Secretary Mashiur Rahman, Chief Engineer Noor Islam Tushar, Chief Revenue Officer Abu Saleh Md Noor-e-Sayed, Budget Cum Accounts Officer Shafiqul Islam Khan, Executive Engineer (Mechanical) Ahmad Al Moin, Assistant Engineer Shaheduzzaman Jiban, Deputy Chief Cleaning Officer Salim Reza Ranju, Assistant Programmer Md Rezwanul Huda, Public Relations Officer Mostafiz Mishu, Environmental Development Officer Syed Mahmudul Islam, Event Management and Tourism Branch Manager Farhad Hossain Adnan, Taxation Officer (Tax) Imtiaz, Ahmed Taxation Officer (Licence) Sarwar Hossain, Accounts Officer Nizamul Hoda, Employees Union President Dulal Sheikh, GS Ajmer Ahmed Mamun and other officers and employees of various branches were also present.
To mark the day, Rajshahi University (RU) administration organized different programmes on the campus.
Wreaths were placed on the Central Shaheed Minar at the first hour of the day.
The national flag was hoisted at half-mast atop the administration and other buildings after sunrise.
RU VC Professor Golam Sabbir Sattar, Pro-VC Professor Md Sultan-ul-Islam, Pro-VC Professor Md Humayun Kabir, Treasurer Professor Abayadur Rahman Author and Registrar Abdus Salam along with senior officials of the administration also paid tribute to the heroes of the Language Movement.
One minute of silence was observed in memory of the martyrs at that time.
During the event, deans of the faculties, provosts of the halls, directors of the institutes, chairmen of the departments, proctors, student advisors, public relations administrators, teachers, employees and students were present.
Various residential halls, departments and institutes, district associations, political leaders, journalists and cultural organizations, RU Teachers' Association, RU Women's Club and various professional bodies and institutions placed wreaths on the Shaheed Minar.
Art and handwriting competition for children was held on Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Senate Bhaban premises at 10 am.
VC Professor Golam Sabbir Sattar inaugurated the competition. The VC's wife Professor Tanzima Yasmin handed over the prizes to the winners of the competition.
Meanwhile, essay writing competitions were also held at RU School and Sheikh Russell Model School in the morning. About 500 children took part in the competition.
Among other arrangements, discussion meetings, Quran recitations and special prayers were held at Central Mosque and Central Temple. A cultural program was also held on the Shaheed Minar premises in the evening.
Besides, different programmes were also organized at Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology.
SIRAJGANJ: In this connection, different programmes were organized in the district.
These programmes included holding discussion, placing wreaths on the Shaheed Minar and portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and hoisting the national flag at half-mast.
Wreaths were placed on the Muktir Sopan Shaheed Minar at Sirajganj Bazar Station in the town at 12:01am.
DC Mir Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, SP Arifur Rahman Mandal, Sirajganj Reporters' Unity, Sirajganj Press Club, District Muktijoddha Sangsad, Zilla Parishad, Udichi Shilpi Goshthi, Sammilitya Sangskritik Jote, different socio-cultural and political organizations, government and non-government offices, professional bodies and various educational institutions also paid tribute to the heroes of the Language Movement.
TANGAIL: To mark the day, different programmes were orgainzed in the district. Wreaths were place on Tangail Central Shaheed Minar in the town at 12:01am.
Sanwar Hossain, MP, from Tangail-5 Constituency, DC Jashim Uddin, SP Sarker Mohammad Kaiser, Tangail Municipality Mayor SM Sirajul Haque Alamgir, Sadar Upazila Parishad Chairman Shahjahan Ansari, and Tangail Press Club President Jafar Ahmed, among others, paid tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement.
A discussion programme and a cultural function were also arranged on the Shaheed Minar premises marking the day.
