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Published : 21 Feb 2026, 12:19 AM
The president and the prime minister have led the nation in paying tributes to the 1952 Language Movement martyrs at the Central Shaheed Minar during the first watch of the Immortal Ekushey.
At 12am on Saturday, Mohammed Shahabuddin laid the first wreath, followed shortly after by Tarique Rahman, honouring those who gave their lives for linguistic rights.
This marks the first time the BNP chairman has paid his respects at the Shaheed Minar in the early hours of Ekushey since assuming state leadership.
He arrived at the venue accompanied by his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan, alongside senior university officials and coordinators of the Ekushey Celebration Committee, received the president and the prime minister upon their arrival.
Following the floral tributes, a special prayer session was held at the altar.
Participants sought eternal peace for the souls of the language martyrs, the heroes of the Liberation War, the martyrs of the 2024 movement, late president Ziaur Rahman, and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, while praying for the nation’s progress and stability.
Tarique, dressed in a black panjabi, joined in the prayers at the Shaheed Minar pedestal.
Afterward, cabinet ministers laid wreaths under the prime minister’s leadership, while BNP Standing Committee members also offered their tributes separately.
Among the ministers present were Local Government Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Liberation War Affairs Minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Women and Children Affairs Minister Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Environment Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo and Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan.
After the ministers and BNP leaders paid their respects, Tarique, accompanied by Zubaida and Zaima, laid a wreath on behalf of the Zia family.
The prime minister left the Shaheed Minar at 12:21am.
At the same time, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Navy Chief Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan, and Chief of Air Force Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan laid wreaths on behalf of their respective services.
Following them, leaders of the 11-party alliance, led by Leader of the Opposition in parliament and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman, paid tribute.
Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam and Jamaat-e-Islami deputy chief ATM Azharul Islam were also present. They offered prayers at the pedestal.
Foreign ambassadors, high commissioners, and diplomats stationed in Bangladesh followed with their tributes.
Other high-ranking officials, including the Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin and Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani, also placed wreaths at the monument.
Dhaka University VC Niaz led the university syndicate and senate members in paying respects to the language martyrs.
Once the high-profile dignitaries concluded their sessions, the Shaheed Minar was opened to the public.
Thousands of people, who had been waiting behind security cordons since the evening, began streaming in to offer flowers.
Leaders and members of political parties, social and cultural organisations then paid their homage one by one.
The day commemorates the glorious yet tragic memory of Feb 21, 1952 when students and youth of then East Pakistan defied Section 144 to demand Bengali be recognised as a state language.
Police opened fire on the demonstrators, killing Abdus Salam, Abdul Jabbar, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abdul Barkat, Shafiur Rahman and many others whose names remain unknown.
Public outcry led the Pakistani authorities to recognise Bengali as one of the state languages.
The language movement later inspired the 1971 Liberation War, leading to Bangladesh’s independence.
The spirit that established Bangla’s status through the blood of its people now resonates globally as a symbol of language love and rights.
On Nov 17, 1999 UNESCO recognised Feb 21 as International Mother Language Day.
This year marks 74 years since the movement began, and the nation is prepared to observe the day with nationwide programmes across Dhaka and other districts.
