The nation on Saturday observed Amar Ekushey and International Mother Language Day with solemnity and quiet pride, marking the 74th anniversary of the historic 1952 Language Movement that laid the foundation of Bangladesh's linguistic and cultural identity.
The day's observances began just after midnight at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital, where President Mohammed Shahabuddin placed the first floral wreath at the altar of the monument.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman followed shortly afterwards, paying his first official tribute as the head of the government.
He stood in silence along with members of his cabinet and senior leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
"Ekushey is our consciousness and our responsibility. Within Ekushey lies the seed of our existence. If Ekushey disappears, our national identity will disappear as well. Amid political and social upheavals, we find ourselves through Ekushey," said government official Iftekharul Islam while paying tributes.
Special prayers were offered seeking eternal peace for the martyrs of 1952, the heroes of the 1971 Liberation War, and those who lost their lives in the mass democratic uprisings of 1990 and 2024.
The ceremony was attended by senior civil and military officials, including the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force, alongside diplomats and representatives of international organisations stationed in Dhaka.
Chief of Army Staff Waker-Uz-Zaman, Chief of Naval Staff Mohammad Nazmul Hassan, and Chief of Air Staff Hasan Mahmood Khan also laid wreaths.
The sombre atmosphere was punctuated by the familiar strains of "Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February", the song that has become synonymous with the struggle for linguistic rights.
In a notable political development, leaders of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami formally joined the tributes at the Shaheed Minar.
Other political groupings, including the National Citizen Party (NCP) and members of an 11-party alliance, also paid homage, reflecting a broader cross-party participation in this year's commemorations.
After the departure of state dignitaries, the monument was opened to the public at around 12:20am.
Leaders and activists of the Jatiya Party faced obstruction while attempting to pay tributes.
The incident took place around 2:00am.
According to eyewitnesses, a group of leaders and activists of the Jatiya Party entered the Shaheed Minar carrying banners and floral wreaths, following closely behind the metropolitan unit of the NCP.
However, no well-known central leaders of the Jatiya Party were seen there.
After the NCP delegation placed their wreath, they noticed the Jatiya Party banner and began chanting slogans calling it "fake."
At one stage, they snatched away the Jatiya Party's banner and floral wreath.
Following the incident, the party leaders and activists left the area without formally completing their tribute.
Meanwhile, thousands of people, many barefoot and wearing black badges as a mark of mourning, queued through the early hours to lay wreaths.
Families, students, and workers from all walks of life converged on the site, underscoring the enduring emotional resonance of Ekushey in the national psyche.
Sumi Akter, a woman from Mirpur, arrived with her two daughters.
"We have been living abroad for five years due to my husband's job. My children never attended national programmes before and were curious after hearing our stories. Today, I brought them here to introduce them to this proud history," she said.
In an official message, the government described the Language Movement as "a glorious chapter in our history" and reaffirmed the state's commitment to the proper use, development, and preservation of Bangla for future generations.
Beyond the capital, the day was observed across the country with discussions, cultural programmes, and wreath-laying ceremonies.
The national flag flew at half-mast at government, semi-government, and private institutions.
Local administrations in major cities and district towns organised events recalling the sacrifices that ultimately paved the way for the constitutional recognition of Bangla as the state language of then Pakistan.
Cultural institutions marked the occasion with special programmes.
At the Bangla Academy, the "Amar Ekushey Baktrita" and poetry recitation sessions were held at Nazrul Mancha, where scores of poets presented works dedicated to the spirit of 1952.
The annual Amar Ekushey Book Fair, spread across the Bangla Academy and adjoining Suhrawardy Udyan premises, drew sizeable crowds despite its schedule coinciding with Ramadan.
Publishers and readers alike described the fair as a living embodiment of the linguistic movement's legacy.
Students of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Dhaka decorated the approach roads to the Shaheed Minar with intricate alpana and murals, blending motifs of the 1952 movement with contemporary themes, including references to the 2024 mass uprising.
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