RANGPUR, Feb 22, 2019 (BSS) – The Shaheed Dibash (Martyrs’ Day) and
International Mother Language Day-2019 was observed here on Thursday paying
rich tributes to the language movement martyrs with a fresh call for using
Bengali at all spheres.
The divisional, district and police administration, Rangpur City
Corporation (RpCC), political parties, private bodies, socio-cultural,
professional and other organisations, educational institutions and NGOs
observed the day through elaborate programmes.
The observance began at the zero hours with placing wreaths at Central
Shaheed Minar here by Mayor of Rangpur Mostafizur Rahman Mostafa, Divisional
Commissioner Muhammad Joynul Bari, Deputy Inspector General for Rangpur Range
Police Devdas Bhattacharya and Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abdul
Alim Mahmud.
Later, Zila Parishad Chairman Advocate Chhafia Khanom, Deputy Commissioner
Enamul Habib and Police Super Mizanur Rahman, President of district Awami
League (AL) Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed, its General Secretary Advocate Rezaul Karim
Raju and other officials placed wreaths there.
Local leaders of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangshad, district and city units
of AL and its associate bodies, BNP, Jatiya Party, JASOD, CPB, BSD, Workers’
Party, Ganatantry Party and other parties, heads of government departments,
educational institutions, NGOs and professional organisations and common
people placed wreaths there paying homage to the language movement martyrs.
In the morning, thousands of people in bare feet and wearing black badges
took part in ‘probhat ferries’ singing song ‘Amar Bhayer Rakte Rangano
Ekushey February—– Ami Ki Bhulite Pari—-‘ to the Central Shaheed Minar
before placing wreaths there.
The programmes also included hoisting of the national flag at half-mast
atop all government and private buildings and educational institutions,
decoration of the city streets with miniature national and coloured-flags
inscribed with Bengali alphabets.
Competitions for children on drawing, essay writing, hand writing and
rendering patriotic songs and sports for the underprivileged children were
arranged along with screening of documentary films on the language movement.
Special prayers were offered at mosques after Johr prayers and temples,
churches, pagodas and other places of religious worships at convenient times.
The local daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, online and others
newspapers published special issues and Rangpur Betar Kendra aired special
programmes narrating significance of the day.
Divisional Commissioner Muhammad Joynul Bari attended the main discussion
organised by district administration on the Central Shaheed Minar premises as
the chief guest last night with the Deputy Commissioner Enamul Habib in the
chair.
Language movement veteran Mohammad Afzal, DIG for Rangpur Range Devdas
Bhattacharya, Additional Commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police Abu,
Sufian, Zila parisahd Chairman Advocate Chhafia Khanom, Acting President of
district AL Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed, its General Secretary Advocate Rezaul Karim
Raju, President of city AL Shafiur Rahman Shafi and its General Secretary
Tushar Kanti Mandal, addressed, as special guests.
In their speeches, the speakers said the fresh blood of the language
movement martyrs sowed the seed of Independence that was achieved through the
bloody War of Liberation in 1971 at supreme sacrifice of three million best
sons and daughters of this soil.
The chief guest said the victory achieved through shedding blood in the
language movement created a unique history by earning recognition of the
United Nations which declared February 21 as the International Mother
Language Day.
He called upon everyone to highlight the glorified struggles of achieving
mother tongue Bengali to the next generations and become responsible for
maintaining the dignity of mother language.