BNP pays homage to Language Movement martyrs

UNB

Published at 01:38 pm February 21st, 2021

Shaheed Dibosh 2021 Central Shaheed Minar International Mother Language Day

The Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka adorned with flowers from people of all walks who paid tribute to the 1952 Language Movement martyrs on Sunday, February 21, 2021 Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune

Central leaders of the party, led by Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, went to the Central Shaheed Minar in the morning and placed a wreath at its alter

BNP on Sunday paid homage to the martyrs of 1952 Language Movement, marking Amar Ekushey, the Language Martyrs Day, and the International Mother Language Day.

BNP central leaders, led by party Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, went to the Central Shaheed Minar in the morning and placed a wreath at its alter.

Earlier, several hundred BNP leaders and activists gathered in front of Balaka Cinema Hall wearing black badges and went to Azimpur graveyard.

They offered special prayers at the graves of martyrs of the Language Movement there, seeking the salvation of the departed souls.

Talking to reporters after paying homage to the martyrs at the Central Shaheed Minar, Rizvi said the country is now being run by "mafia as the government has established a one-party system of governance in the country. We’re fighting against it being imbued with the spirit of February 21, 1952.”

He said there was the pain of losing rights behind every movement and struggle in Bangladesh, including the Language Movement. “These movements inspire and make us brave to continue our struggle for restoring our rights and democracy.”

The BNP leader bemoaned that their party Chairperson Khaleda has been kept in jail “unfairly” for three years by the government to “hang onto” power by “destroying” democracy.

Echoing the same, Amanullah Aman, BNP chairperson’s adviser, said that the government has “ruined” democracy and the spirit of the Liberation War and Amar Ekushey.

"We’ve taken a strong vow on this day to bring back democracy by overthrowing the current unelected, illegitimate and dictatorial regime,” he added.

Stating that the current government has no legitimacy, Aman urged it to arrange a credible national election under a neutral government by immediately quitting power.

He also paid homage to the martyrs of February 21, 1952, who sacrificed their lives for their mother tongue, Bangla, which ultimately encouraged the nation to liberate the country through waging the Liberation War in 1971.