Celebrating Language Martyrs' Day: Significance and Recognition

Language Martyrs' Day 'Shaheed Dibosh' is an important day for the people of Bangladesh, celebrated on February 21 to commemorate the sacrifices made by the students who fought for the recognition of Bangla as the state language of East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh). On this day, we pay tribute to the bravery and dedication of the language martyrs who gave their lives for the rights and freedoms of our people.

History of Language Martyrs' Day

The history of Language Martyrs' Day dates back to 1952 when the students of East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) protested against the decision of the government of Pakistan to make Urdu the sole official language of the country. The students demanded equal recognition for Bangla and held protests in Dhaka, the capital of East Pakistan.

The peaceful demonstrations were met with brutal force by the government, leading to the deaths of several students, including Abdus Salam, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Sofiur Rahman, Abul Barkat and Abdul Jabbar, on February 21, 1952.

The outcome of the Language Movement

The sacrifices made by the language martyrs did not go in vain, as the movement gained immense support from the people of East Pakistan.

The international community also began to take notice of the movement and the struggle for language rights. Eventually, in 1954, the government of Pakistan agreed to recognise Bangla as one of the state languages of Pakistan, a victory for the language martyrs and their families.

Local and Global Recognition of Language Martyrs' Day

Language Martyrs' Day is celebrated annually in Bangladesh with great fervour, with people from all walks of life paying tribute to the bravery of the language martyrs. The day is marked by rallies, speeches, and cultural programs, highlighting the language movement's importance and the language martyrs' role in shaping the nation's identity.

In addition to being celebrated in Bangladesh, Language Martyrs' Day has also gained recognition globally, with people from other countries participating in events and programs to show solidarity with the language martyrs.

UN Recognition of Language Martyrs' Day

The initiative to celebrate International Mother Language Day was introduced by Bangladesh and approved at the 1999 UNESCO General Conference. Since 2000, it has been celebrated globally to recognise and celebrate the various ways the world is expressed. They declared International Mother Language Day to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The UN recognised the sacrifices made by the language martyrs and their families and the impact of the language movement on the rights and freedoms of people worldwide.

This year, we are celebrating the 24th anniversary of International Mother Language Day, which will be based on the theme "multilingual education - a necessity to transform education.

Why It Matters

Language Martyrs' Day is a day to remember the sacrifices made by the students who fought to recognise Bangla as the state language of East Pakistan. It is a day to celebrate the bravery and dedication of the language martyrs, to pay tribute to their contributions to the identity and cultural heritage of the nation, and to recognise the importance of language rights and the role of language in shaping the identity of a people.

Let us all remember the language martyrs and their families and continue to celebrate their legacy by promoting linguistic and cultural diversity, multilingualism, and the rights and freedoms of all people.