Education Minister Dr. ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon today inaugurated a four-day program marking Martyrs' Day and International Mother Language Day, organized by the International Mother Language Institute (IMLI). Photo: PID

DHAKA, Feb 21, 2026 (BSS)- Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon today put special emphasis on preserving the dignity of the mother language and multilingual-based  education in the era of globalization.

“As a result of UNESCO's recognition, International Mother Language Day is being celebrated all over the world today, which is a matter of unique pride for the Bengali nation,” he said.

The minister said this while inaugurating four-day long programme marking the Martyrs' Day and International Mother Language Day organized by International Mother Language Institute (IMLI) here.

Mentioning Bangla as the seventh largest language in the world, the Ehsanul Hoque said that the literature and tradition of this language have taken a prestigious place in the global arena. The first honor that Rabindranath Tagore brought to the Bengali language on an international scale by winning the Nobel Prize inspires us even today, he added.

Paying deep tribute to the language martyrs, the minister said, “February 21 is the main motivation to protect our identity and cultural existence.” 

Reviewing the current activities of the International Mother Language Institute, he said that although the institution has started full-fledged work after a long time of its establishment, its progress is somewhat slower than expected. Currently, work is underway in only four languages out of the 14 languages scheduled, he added.

Urging the concerned to be more responsible and sincere, Ehsanul Hoque said, “We need to take more rapid and effective steps to achieve the desired goal.” 

Emphasizing on multilingual education, the minister said language means identity, language means history, and language means dignity. 

He recalled the outstanding contributions to Bangla language of late educationist Professor Abdul Malek and poet Abdul Hai Sikder.

The minister said it is important to ensure adequate budget allocation to take effective steps to preserve the language and culture. 

He sought the cooperation of international organizations in this regard. 

After the inaugural ceremony, the minister distributed prizes among the winners of the Linguistic Olympiad.

Norihide Furukawa, Head of Communication, UNESCO Dhaka Office, addressed it as a special guest with Secondary and Higher Education Division Secretary Rehana Perven in the chair. 

Former teacher of the Institute of Modern Languages Professor Abul Mansur Muhammad Abu Musa presented the keynote paper at the event.