I have not come to mourn
I have come to appeal for hanging
The people who have lost their lives here
Under the bloody red flowers in Ramna
Where there are still traces of blood burning like a fire
There I have come to protest, I have not come to cry
[Translated from the first poem composed in memory of the martyrs on 21st February, 1952, “Not for Tears Have I come, but I demand They be Hanged” by Mahbubul Alam. The 17 page poem was published on 22nd February, 1952 and the Government confiscated all the copies.]
Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage. All moves to promote the dissemination of mother tongues will serve not only to encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.
International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by UNESCO's General Conference in November 1999. The International Day has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.On 16 May 2007, by resolution 61/266, the General Assembly proclaimed 2008 as the International Year of Languages, to promote unity in diversity and international understanding, through multilingualism and multiculturalism.
The 21st of February is of special significance to the people of Bangladesh. Each year, on this date, the country commemorates International Mother Language Day in recognition of the preservation ofBangla as the official language of Bangladesh. At the request of the people of Bangladesh and after investigating the matter, UNESCO declared the 21st of February each year to be International Mother Language Day on a world-wide scale among United Nations member countries.
What makes the 21st of February so special?
The events leading up to the adoption of the 21st of February as International Mother Language Day started when the Governor General of Pakistan, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, declared at a public meeting on 21 March 1948 that Urdu would be the only official language for both east and west Pakistan. The majority of the people living in eastern Pakistan were Bangla-speaking and therefore protested against this declaration. But on 21 February 1952, ever in history, a bunch of young Bangalee students gave their lives in a protest rally at the Dhaka university campus against the Pakistani authority’s attempt to impose Urdu (as the state language of Pakistan) over the 70 million Bangalees of East Bangla (then East Pakistan). The slain students are seen as martyrs for their cause, which turned out to be the beginning of Bangladesh’s struggle for independence. The time was 3.20 p.m. to 3.50 p.m. on 21st February '52. It was these 30 minutes that seeded a nation in the hearts of millions... Bangladesh!
Our struggle for the right to speak in our mother-tongue Bangla is recognized now around the whole world as International Mother Language Day. In the coming 21st our Brand is going to bring us together again.
Each year the 21st of February was commemorated as Language Martyrs Day in Bangladesh and other parts of the world that have sizeable groups of Bangla-speaking people. In 1999 the proposal was made to UNESCO to create International Mother Language Day in the belief that a culture of peace can only really flourish where each individual enjoys the right to communicate freely in their mother language in all aspects of their lives. UNESCO supports this conviction, as well as the belief that there should be cultural and linguistic diversity in education and the preservation of languages in danger of dying out. So at the 30th session of the General Conference of UNESCO in 1999 the decision was taken to launch International Mother Language Day throughout the world.
In Bangladesh, International Mother Language Day is commemorated with events taking place primarily around the Language Martyr’s Monument in Dhaka. Many people bring flowers, mainly in red and yellow, which are spread out in front of the monument. It is a solemn day as respect is paid to the martyrs who brought to the world’s attention the necessity of keeping marginalized languages alive.
The nation to immortalize 21st February has termed this day as Amar Ekushay (immortal 21st) and commemorates its historical significance by observing it with due solemnity paying tribute and homage to the sons of soil for their heroic sacrifice to uphold the dignity of mother tongue. The Amar Ekushay extents into what is popularly known as the Shaheed Day (Martyrs Day) that reflects upon the language movement on 21st February and the grand scale uprising to establish the due position of Bengali as the official language of the country.
As the clock strikes 00:00 hours, the Honourable President and Prime Minister begin the procession of the nation that pays its tribute to the martyrs at the Shaheed Minars (Monuments for Martyrs) all over the country. People from all walks of life, wearing black badges and bare footed, throng at the Shaheed Minar to show their respect to the sons of the soil. The children, youth, young and old, men and women walk towards the Shaheed Minar singing Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February Ami Ki Bhulite Pari (21 February a day immersed in the blood of my brothers, can I ever forget it).
The mass of people at every corner of the country lay wreaths of flower as a token of their respect and pledge a fresh vow to translate the dreams of the martyrs into reality towards establishing a democratic order, of a society free from exploitation and of economic emancipation of the nation.
Its significance transcends from language movement to symbolize the struggle for emancipation from the oppression of the oppressors. Through the sombre but intrinsically native observance the day continues to define the national and cultural identity that set Bengalis apart as a nation of independent people. It stands as a monumental pride for Bangladeshis who refused to accept domination and culminates into their victory for the mother language and the map of Bangladesh in the globe.
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