The Immortal Shaheed Dibash and International Mother Language Day was observed on 21 February 2019 by the Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad with due solemnity and fervor.
Members of expatriate Bangladesh community, officials and staff of the High Commission, along with their families, participated in the day-long programme arranged at the Chancery premises of the High Commission. The Chancery premises were decorated with Martyrs’ Day posters and inscriptions of Bangla alphabet. Participants, in black-and-white attires, wore black badges.
In the morning, High Commissioner Tarik Ahsan ceremonially hoisted the national flag at half-mast in presence of all officials of the High Commission and some members of expatriate Bangladesh community.
Singing “Amar bhaiyerrokteranganoEkushye February, Ami kibhulitepari”, the High Commissioner, Officers and Officials along with the Bangladeshis living in Islamabad placed floral wreaths at the altar of the make-shift Shaheed Minar at the Chancery premises to pay earnest respect to the language martyrs.
Competitions of drawing and essay-writing in Bangla on the theme of the daywere arranged at the Chancery. A total of fourteen children took part.Later,High Commissioner Tarik Ahsan and his lady wife jointly distributed the prizes and certificates among the winners.
In the evening, a session of discussion cum cultural event was held at the Chancery to mark the day. At the beginning, officials of the High Commission read out messages of President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Foreign Affairs issued on this occasion.
During the discussion, the salient features of history of establishing right of Bengalis to use their mother language Bangla and recognition of the day as the International Mother Language Day by UNESCO ware discussed.
In his address, High Commissioner Tarik Ahsan paid rich tribute to the language martyrs. He also acknowledgedwith gratitude the active participation of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other activists in the language movement.Heexpressed deep shock over the deaths from the fire incident at Chowk bazar in Dhakaandwished eternal peace for the departed souls.
High Commissionerremarked that the spirit of the Martyrs’ Day has influenced the political and cultural evolution of Bengalis, and helped development of the non-communal Bengali nationalism. He expressed the hope that the new generation, imbued with the historic glory and perpetual appeal of the day, cultivate themselves as the enlightened citizens of the country as well as of the world.
The cultural programme included recitation of poetry, rendering of songs and performance of dance appropriate for the spirit of the day.
A special prayer was offered for the salvation and eternal peace of the souls of the language martyrs.
Later, a video documentary befitting the day was screened. The programme was rounded off with a buffet dinner.