On the occasion of International Mother Language Day 2022, President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have extended warm congratulations and sincere felicitations to the people and ethnic groups of different languages of the world along with Bangla-speaking people.
The head of the state and head of the government extended the greetings in separate statements on Sunday on the eve of the day that will be celebrated on Monday, reports BSS.
"It is a unique celebration in protecting mother tongue as well as own culture and heritage," the president said.
He mentioned that the spirit of Amar Ekushey is now the incessant source of inspiration to protect the own languages and culture of peoples of different languages in the world.
"...Imbued with the spirit of Amar Ekushey, let the bond of friendship among multilingual people of the world be strengthened, world's almost defunct languages be revived with glory in their respective races and diversified societies of respective languages and culture be formed - it is my expectation on Shaheed Day and International Mother Language Day," the president said.
The head of the state recalled with deep homage to Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar, Shafiur and many other unknown language martyrs who laid down their lives to establish the right of mother tongue Bangla.
The great Language Movement is a memorable event in the country's national history, he said, adding: "Today, I remember with profound respect, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Sarbodolio Rashtrobhasa Sangram Parishad (All Party State Language Action Committee) formed in 1948 and was imprisoned."
He recalled all the language activists including the then Member of Gonoparishad (Constituent Assembly) Dhirendranath Dutta, whose farsightedness, boundless sacrifice, courage, organisational skills and instantaneous decision resulted in the outcome of the language movement on February 21, 1952, and consequently, the Bangalees achieved their right of mother tongue.
The language movement aimed to establish the right of the country's mother tongue as well as to protect the country's ethnicity, self-entity and cultural distinction, he added.
"The imperishable spirit of Amar Ekushey (Immortal Shaheed Day) gave us endless inspiration and immense courage in achieving our rights to self-determination, struggle for freedom and the War of Liberation," Hamid continued.
The president went on saying that with the bloodshed passages of the Language Movement of February, the country achieved the recognition of Bangla as mother tongue and consequently, the country attained people's long-cherished Independence in 1971 under the charismatic leadership of the greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
February 21 has now been recognized by the United Nations as the 'International Mother Language Day' with the spontaneous willingness and sincere endeavour of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina along with the primary efforts of some Bangladeshi expatriates in 1999, Hamid added.
"As the Bengali nation, it is one of the great achievements for us," he said.
In a separate statement, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also extended her sincere greetings to the people of all languages and cultures of the world, including Bangla, marking the great Martyrs' Day and International Mother Language Day 2022.
"...With Bangladesh, UNESCO has been celebrating this day with due dignity since 2000. This year's theme of the day - 'Using Technology for Multilingual Learning: Challenges and Opportunities: Crisis and Prospects' - which I think is very befitting; because the Awami League government has been working for a long time to implement an equitable and inclusive education policy through the use of digital technology," the premier said in her message on the eve of the day.
The foundation for a non-communal, democratic, language-based state system was laid through this movement, she said, adding that on this day in 1952, Abul Barkat, Abdul Jabbar, Abdus Salam, Rafiquddin Ahmad, Shafiur Rahman and many others sacrificed their lives to protect the dignity of the country's mother language Bangla.
"I pay my deep respect to the memory of the martyrs of all languages, including Bangla; I remember with the deep tribute all the language movement activists, including the greatest Bangali of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose supreme sacrifices and struggles elevated the esteem of our mother, land and people," she added.
The glorious history of the language movement of the Bangali from 1947 to 1952 serves as a source of inspiration in people's national life from time and again, she said.
The Father of the Nation was repeatedly imprisoned for leading the language movement, she said, adding that at the Education Conference held in Karachi on 27 November 1947, Urdu was decided to be the state language of Pakistan.
"In independent Bangladesh, the Father of the Nation directed the use of Bangla in all official activities. He included Bangla as the state language in the constitution. He delivered a speech at the United Nation's 29th General Assembly in Bangla and placed our mother language dignified in the world assembly," the premier said.
"During the 1996-2001 term of our Government, Rafiq and Salam, two Bangladeshi expatriates from Canada, along with some members of the international community, formed the 'Mother Language Preservation Committee.' They sent a proposal to the United Nations to celebrate International Mother Language Day on 21 February," she added.
