The nation entered the first hour of Amar Ekushey with solemn remembrance as the President and the Prime Minister led tributes to the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka.
At the stroke of midnight, President Mohammed Shahabuddin laid the first wreath at the altar, honouring those who gave their lives for the right to speak their mother tongue.
Shortly afterwards, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman placed a wreath in memory of the language heroes.
Both leaders stood in silence for some time as a mark of deep respect.
Unlike previous years’ state observances at the Shaheed Minar, this time a special munajat was offered, seeking forgiveness and eternal peace for the souls of the Language Movement martyrs, as well as those who sacrificed their lives in the Liberation War and various democratic movements.
The Khatib of Dhaka University Central Mosque, Nazir Mahmud, led the prayers, instructing everyone to stand facing west. The prayers invoked forgiveness for the souls of the martyrs of the Language Movement, the independence struggle, the mass movement of the 1990s, and the recent mass movement of 2024.
After the prayer, the Prime Minister again paid tribute alongside members of his cabinet and advisers. On behalf of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the government, wreaths were placed at the altar. Tarique Rahman also paid homage on behalf of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and former party chairperson Khaleda Zia. He was accompanied by his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman.
Leaders and activists of the BNP then offered floral tributes. The chiefs of the three armed services followed: Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Navy Chief Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan and Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan paid their respects at the memorial.
Leader of the Opposition and Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Shafiqur Rahman also placed a wreath, accompanied by Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam and elected members of parliament from the alliance. It marked the first time a Jamaat-e-Islami leader formally paid floral tribute at the altar of the Shaheed Minar, a gesture that drew attention, given the party’s longstanding reservations about such observances on religious grounds.
Ambassadors and diplomats stationed in Dhaka paid tribute next, reflecting the global resonance of Ekushey. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin and other commissioners later ascended the altar to honour the martyrs.
Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan and other university officials received the Prime Minister upon his arrival at the Shaheed Minar premises.
In a message marking the day, the Prime Minister said the core spirit of Ekushey lay in democratic values, people’s rights and equality. He noted that the government remains committed to strengthening democratic progress and called for collective efforts to uphold the dignity of all languages across the world.
February 21 is observed as Shaheed Day in Bangladesh and as International Mother Language Day worldwide, following UNESCO’s recognition of the date in 1999.
As the night deepened, the Shaheed Minar was opened to the public. Hundreds of barefoot citizens, carrying wreaths and singing “Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February,” streamed towards the altar in quiet processions.
The day marks the events of February 21, 1952, when students of Dhaka University and others defied Section 144 to demand Bangla as a state language of Pakistan. Police opened fire on the demonstrators, killing Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar and several others.
Their sacrifice secured the recognition of Bangla and later inspired a broader struggle for national rights. What began as a movement for linguistic dignity has since become a universal symbol of cultural identity and the defence of mother tongues across the globe.
The day is being observed as a public holiday with programmes across the country, as the nation once again bows its head in remembrance of its language martyrs.