Visiting Paschimbanga Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid homage to the martyrs of historic Language Movement by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka at 12:07 midnight on Saturday.

Mamata along with her entourage, including Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pankaj Saran, reached at the Shaheed Minar premises at 11:50am, just a few moments before the arrival of President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the venue.

Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique received Mamata on her arrival at the Shaheed Minar.

The Paschimbanga Chief Minister then advanced towards the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar in a slow pace when the immortal song ‘Amar Bhaiyer Raktey Rangano Ekushey February, Ami Ki Bhulitey Pari’ was playing in loud speakers.

Later, she placed the wreaths at the altar of the Shaheed Minar to pay homage to the Language Movement martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the cause of their mother tongue in 1952.

Earlier, President M Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and House of Lords Speaker Baroness D' Souza paid homage.