C T Online Desk: The nation will observe Amar Ekushey on Tuesday, paying rich tributes to the language movement martyrs of 1952 who made the supreme sacrifice to establish Bangla as a state language.
The day’s programme will kick off one-minute past midnight with the placing of floral wreaths in solemn silence for a while at Shaheed Minars across the country amid tight security.
The Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka has been decorated with Bangla letters against the backdrop of a rising sun for the observance of Shaheed Dibas, which has also been observed simultaneously as International Mother Language Day since 2000 following a UNESCO decision.
On February 21, 1952, corresponding to Phalgun 8, 1359 on the Bangla calendar, the then Pakistani rulers banned protests against the announcement of Urdu as the only state language, even though a majority of the combined population spoke Bangla.
Salam, Jabbar, Rafiq and Barkat were killed in police firing on a students’ procession, brought out defying the ban demanding Bangla as a state language.
The events of the language movement led to other landmark movements, including the historic Six-Point Movement of 1966, and the Mass Uprising of 1969, which culminated in the War of Independence in 1971.
President Md Abdul Hamid will pay respect to the language heroes at the Central Shaheed Minar a minute past midnight and will be followed by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, the speaker of Jatiya Sangsad, the chief justice, Dhaka University teachers, language movement heroes, and others.
Like every year, the ‘Central Coordination Committee for Observing Amar Ekushey’ published the route map for people coming to the Central Shaheed Minar and Azimpur Graveyard on February 21 to pay tribute to the martyrs of the language movement, New Age Dhaka University correspondent reported.
The route map will come into effect at 7:00pm on Monday, said DU vice-chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman at a press conference at the Abdul Matin Virtual Classroom on the campus on Sunday.
According to the route map, people can enter through the road in front of the Old High Court at Doel Chattar, Bangla Academy, TSC, Nilkhet Police Outpost next to the vice-chancellor’s residence, the New Market Crossing, and the northern gate of Azimpur Graveyard.
After paying tribute to language heroes at Azimpur Graveyard, people can exit through the main gate (south side) and go to Shaheed Minar via Azimpur Road from Palashi crossing in front of Salimullah Hall and Jagannath Hall.
Those who want to go to Shaheed Minar by using an alternative route without going to the graveyard can go to Shaheed Minar by crossing the vice-chancellor’s residence and taking the road to the left from the Nilkhet Police Outpost and the road in front of Salimullah Hall and Jagannath Hall.
Shaheed Minar can also be reached from New Market crossing via the road in front of Eden College, Azimpur, Palashi via the road in front of Salimullah Hall and Jagannath Hall, and from Chankarpul area via Bakshibazar crossing via the south side road of BUET.
University teachers, officials, employees including BNCC, Red Crescent, Rover Scouts, Rangers and volunteers will be engaged in various duties at the entrances. The VC urged everyone to provide them with due support.
Different political parties, including the ruling Awami League and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, socio-cultural and professional organisations and educational institutions have taken elaborate programmes to mark the day.
Traffic restrictions have also been imposed on Dhaka University and surrounding areas from 5:00pm on February 20 to 7:00pm on February 21.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruq instructed people not to carry bags while paying homage, adding that the entire area from Palashi crossing to Doel Chattar had been placed under CCTV surveillance.
Briefing reporters about the security arrangements, the DMP chief said that the programme had been divided into two parts.
The president, the prime minister, cabinet members and diplomatic personnel will pay homage to the martyrs first, and then the Shaheed Minar premises will be opened to the public, he said.
The Dhaka South City Corporation decided to broadcast the programme, uninterrupted electricity supply, and take other measures to facilitate people paying tribute to language heroes.
DSCC spokesperson and public relations officer Abu Nasher confirmed the matter on Sunday.
