'Printing mistake’ puts number of Language Movement martyrs at 3 million

A poster produced by an Awami League front at Chittagong on the International Mother Language Day has raised eyebrows for paying tribute to ‘3 million language martyrs’.

They are now calling it a ‘printing mistake’, but it’s clear to everyone that they have mixed up the Language Movement with the War of Independence.

The posters with such appalling inconsistency were seen in and around Chakview market, Gulzar market and on the boundary wall of the Chittagong College at the Chakbazar area of the port city.

The multicolour poster was sponsored by Ward No. 16 Jubo League leader Nahidul Islam Javed and distributed on behalf of another youth front leader, Noor Mustafa Nur Tinu.

The images of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, AL President Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam BSC, Nahidul Islam Javed and Noor Mustafa Tinu are in the poster.

“It’s a printing mistake. The one we sent to press was not like this,” said Tinu when asked about the gaffe.

“Our workers pasted it without checking it. It is not appropriate at Language Martyrs Day. We will remove it,” he added.

The poster mentioned Tinu as a close associate of Minister Nurul Islam.

Not only this poster, a banner produced on behalf of Ward No 21 AL leader Firoz Patwary and hung near Askerdighi kitchen market reads: “How can we forget the martyrs day – 21st February we achieved by the sacrifice of the ‘honour’ of thousands of mothers and sisters."

It also says “long live martyrs’ day.”

The banner is also carrying the pictures of Bangabandhu, Hasina, Joy and Firoz Patwary.

In small print, the banner mentions the names of Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teressa and addresses Hasina as mother.

Firoz Patwary was unavailable for comment.

When contacted about distorted and inaccurate information in the poster and banner, Chittagong city Jubo League Convener Mohiuddin Bacchu told bdnews24.com, “When we started student politics, our elders used to take classes about the political history of the country.”

“We tried our best to impart similar lessons to our activists – about politics, economics, society, culture and history. But we haven't had much success,” he added.

A Bangla Department professor of Chittagong University, Dr Mohammad Mohibul Aziz, told bdnews24.com that “when you are ignorant about true history, you make this kind of mistake".

"The government should take the initiative to make proper history on the Language Movement and Liberation War available and accessible to the grass roots to end this situation,” he added.