Bangladeshi expats mourn country’s language martyrs

“Bangladeshi expatriates have played a pivotal role in the Bangla Language Movement in their struggle for independence and above all, in attaining extraordinary recognition through observing February 21st as the International Mother Language Day,” said Bangladesh Consul General M. Nazmul Islam, who further asserted that Bangla Language Day is recognized by UNESCO.
The consul general’s statement came as he addressed a huge assembly of Bangladeshi expatriates who gathered at the Bangladesh Consulate yesterday on the eve of “Shaheed Diwas,” a national day of mourning for those who died fighting to retain the Bangla language in the then East Pakistan.
The consul general reinforced the Bangladeshi expatriates love for their land and language. He urged the community to share their rich history and diverse culture with the new generation of Bangladesh expatriates living abroad.
A huge number of Bangladesh expatriates flocked to the consulate premises early yesterday wearing black badges to express their symbolic mourning of “language martyrs” who made their supreme sacrifice on this day in 1952. He said that the seed of independence for Bangladesh was sown in the historic struggle for their mother tongue, adding that the events of this day, known as “Ekushey,” in many ways formed and fortified the essence of an independent Bangladesh.
Nazamul Islam reaffirmed that it was the Bangladeshi people who were the first to sacrifice their lives for their language on this day in 1952. He added that it was through the effort of the Bangladeshi government that UNESCO declared the day as an International Mother Language Day.
The consul general read out the speeches of President Md. Zilur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the audience and paid a symbolic tribute of flowers at the premises. He also distributed flowers to students of two Bangladeshi schools in Jeddah who participated and won the prizes in an essay-writing competition.
Senior diplomat and head of the chancery Zakaria Vishwas also attended the event along with other diplomats and prominent community members.