International Mother Language Day

The International Mother Language Day is celebrated annually on the 21st of February to promote linguistic and cultural diversity around the world. The day commemorates the historic language movement in Bangladesh, where students and activists protested for the recognition of their mother tongue, Bengali, as an official language in 1952.

The 21st of February is not only a red letter day but also bearing historical evidence also. For achieving Bangla as a state language we had to cross a lot of ups and downs. By shedding blood and sacrificing lives, we have gained it and become a model in the world's history. Bangladesh observes the day in commemoration of the language martyrs and in honour of our mother tongue, Bangla.

The day is significant because we have achieved Bangla as our state language. There is a specific historical background of this day. The then-Pakistani autocrat declared that Urdu would be the state language of Pakistan. The Bangla language never developed anything against anybody but demanded its rights and legal place.

International Mother Language Day activities

On 21st February 1952, some valiant sons of our country revolted against their decision and laid down their lives for our mother tongue, Bangla. Since then, the day has been observed as our Shaheed Day, commemorating the sacrifice of language martyrs like Salam, Rafiq, Barkat and Jabbar. It has brought honour and dignity to us.

Besides, the 21st February incident paved the way for our freedom arousing the consciousness against the autocracy of then-West Pakistan. The world today recognises that Bangla is a critical language. The present status of this day is very high. UNESCO has recognised this day as International Mother Language Day. This day is now celebrated all over the world with flying colours.

Independence History

The war usually takes place for the independence of a land that is enduring injustice. exploitation and deprivation are called the war of independence. Bangladesh got its independence in 1971 after a long bloody battle of nine months.

In fact, the background of this war brewed in the Language Movement in 1952 and in the Mass Upsurge in 1969. The people of this land dreamt of independence in the face of injustice they received from the rulers of then Pakistan.

When the freedom-loving people of this land raised their voices against injustice and exploitation, the Pakistani rulers set their armed forces on the civilian people of this land. To put down the voice of the freedom-loving people the occupation forces brought about a massacre at night on 25 March 1971 launching our War of Independence.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the pioneer of our freedom fighting, was arrested. People from all sections, irrespective of caste and creed race and religion, came out with rustic weapons to fight the occupation forces. They fought guerrilla fighting against occupation forces who were armed to the teeth.

A force called Mukti Bahini was formed. They fought guerrilla fighting dividing the country into eleven sectors. The occupation forces killed civilian people indiscriminately including intellectuals, doctors, engineers and teachers. But they could not materialise their evil end. They gave in to the will of the people of this land.

Because the weapons of the freedom-loving people need not be very big. At last, on 16 December 1971 people of this land got victory over the freedom fighting and a country named Bangladesh came into being at the cost of 3 million lives. Every year we celebrate our independence with great.

National Flag

A national flag is the symbol of the independence of a nation. Being a free nation, we have a national flag of our own. The national flag is the symbol of our national integrity, solidarity and sovereignty. We achieved our national flag at the cost of a sea of blood in 1971. The size of our national flag is 10:6 and its shape is rectangular. It is made of cotton, linen or silk.

It has a combination of two colours. The major part of it is deep green. There is also a deep red round part in the middle of it looking like the rising sun. The green colour of its stands for everlasting youth, freshness and vigour of the nation.

It also symbolizes the greenery of Bangladesh. The red round part of it symbolizes the rising sun of independence. The sun is the source of life on Earth, and like the sun, the deep red sun globe signifies our glorious existence.

Our national flag is the source of our spirit, hopes and aspirations. So we must defend our independence at any cost and save the existence and prestige of our invaluable and glorious national flag.

Digital Technology

To establish Bangladesh as a Digital Bangladesh by the year 2001 is a much talked slogan of the present government.

It means a modern technology based progressive country. As it's an age of science and technology, the use of modern technology must be introduced at every sector of life to bring about an expected development of the country. To reach this goal whole Bangladesh will be brought under a computer network.

Internet service will be reached to every nook and corner. Through an internet network the economic activities of the country will be monitored sitting at a place and thus the development of the country will be accelerated.

Offices both government and non government, educational institutions, agricultural sector, trade and commerce, banking sector- everything will brought under internet connection. CCTV camera will be set up at important places and thus the whole activities of the country can be controlled sitting at a place.

Education can be spread through video projector. A teacher can reach his lecture to the students with the help of internet without being present in the classroom. A patient can have consultancy of a doctor via internet paying his fee through online banking.

A farmer can get information about modern method of cultivation, high-yielding seeds and right kind of fertilizer from agriculture based website.

Thus every work field will be benefited when whole country will be brought under a computer network and thus Bangladesh will be turned into a technology-based progressive country which is termed a 'Digital Bangladesh' by the present government.

The leadership grid

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was one of those legendary leaders of the world who were always inspired by the patriotic zeal. He was born on 17 March, 1920 at Tongipara in Gopalganj district. Sheikh Lutfur Rahman was his father; and his mother was Saira Khatun.

His education began at home. He passed his matriculation examination in 1942. In the same year he got himself admitted into Islamia College in Calcutta and completed his graduation form this college.

He also studied Law at the University of Dhaka but could not complete it due to his involvement in politics. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest Bengali of all time, was the pioneer of the Freedom Fighting of Bangladesh.

He arduously climbed to the position of a national leader and rose to the very pinnacle as the Father of the Nation. He felt the urgency of emancipation of Bangali nation from the subjugation of Pakistani Janta.

His political leadership arose out of the aims and aspiration of the ordinary Bangalee. He was inseparably linked with the hopes and aspirations, the joy and sorrows, the travails and triumphs of these ordinary people.

He has been closely associated with every phase of the 25 year long struggle for freedom and independence. During the language movement, Bangabandhu was arrested on March 11 1948. Nevertheless he took up leadership of the movement from inside the jail.

In fact, Bangabandhu was a nationalist in character, a democrat in behaviour, a socialist in belief and a secularist by conviction. He will remain ever fresh in the minds of the people of Bangladesh.

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