Shaheed Day
↬ The International Mother Language Day
↬ The 21 February
↬ Shaheed Day
February 21 is the Shaheed Day in Bangladesh. Pakistan came into being in 1947. But the Bangladeshis were being deprived (বঞ্চিত করা) of their rights and privileges (সুবিধা). It was declared that Urdu would be made the state language. The Bangladeshi students protested. The Bangladeshis were a majority in Pakistan. But Bangla was not recognized as a state language.
A strong Language Movement began in 1952. The students took the lead in this regard. There were strikes and processions all over the country. The police started firing at innocent students. As a result, Barkat, Salam, Rafique and Jabbar became Shaheed on February 21, 1952. They gave their blood to establish the right of seven and a half crore of the Bangladeshis. Bangla was then made state language with Urdu.
Bangladesh gained independence from the hands of Pakistani autocratic rules in 1971. But it was not won in a day. The Language movement in 1952 has a greater and wider influence on the emergence of Bangladesh. The Bangalees were being united since then. As the students influenced mostly, they played an important role during our liberation war.
The language movement marks the beginning of our struggle for freedom. To show respect to those noble souls we observe February 21 every year as the Shaheed Day in Bangladesh. Every year after 12-midnight people go to the Central Shaheed Minar bare-footed and pay their respects to the martyrs (শহীদ). They also go to the Azimpur burial ground (কবরস্থান) and place flowers and wreaths upon the graves of the shaheeds.
Same composition collected from another book
My mother language, we mean the language which we learn from our mother after birth. 21 February of the year is celebrated as the International Mother Language Day. The day has brought much name and fame for our country. Bangladesh has got an identity in the international arena.
There is a glorious history behind the day. The Pakistani rulers declared on 21 March 1948 that only Urdu would be the state language of entire Pakistan. The people of East Pakistan reacted against the unilateral (একতরফা) decision. They demanded that Bangla would be the medium of East Pakistan. But the Pakistani rulers refused the demand. The alert and intelligent mass of East Pakistan – students, teachers and all organised people were united under an umbrella for establishing Bangla as the state language. There was a curfew, and section 144 was imposed all over Dhaka on 21 February 1952. The students of Dhaka University broke the section 144 and as they were advancing towards the present Shaheed Minar, Rafiq, Jabbar, Barkat, Salam and some others were killed by the police fire.
From Canada Rafiqul Islam and Abdus Salam sent a memorandum to the UN Secretary-General on 9 January 1998 demanding 21 February as the International Mother Language Day. Kofi Anan advised them to contact UNESCO. UNESCO informed that a member country should send a proposal. Bangladesh officially sent a proposal to UNESCO on 9 September 1999. During the 30th General Meeting on 17 November 1999, the proposal was accepted, and 21 February got its status.
Now, 188 countries of the world observe 21 February as the International Mother Language Day. It is observed to pay respect to the mother language globally.
It has a great influence on our national life. We have got inspired by the supreme sacrifice of Rafiq, Jabbar, Salam, Barkat. Now, we are ready to sacrifice our lives if situation demands.
The declaration of 21 February as the International Mother Language Day is a glowing homage by the international communities to the language martyrs of Bangladesh. Finally, we have to express our gratitude to UNESCO for its proper consideration.
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