Dhaka: Amar Ekushey and International Mother Language Day was observed across the country today amid paying glowing tributes to the Language Movement martyrs, who laid down their lives for the mother tongue Bangla on February 21, 1952.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar one minute past the zero hour amid tight security to pay homage to the Language Movement heroes.

The Prime Minister arrived at the Shaheed Minar seven minutes before the clock struck 12 midnight. President Abdul Hamid reached the Central Shaheed Minar just before the zero hour.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina proceeded to the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar together in slow pace as the immortal song on Amar Ekushey—“Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February”—was playing.

The President was the first to lay the wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar. Just after the President, the Prime Minister placed the wreath at the Shaheed Minar. They stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the Language Heroes.

Later, Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, visiting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Begum Raushan Ershad, visiting Speaker of House of Lords, UK Parliament Baroness D’Souza, Jatiya Party Chairman Hussain Muhammad Ershad, cabinet members, 14-Party alliance leaders, chiefs of three services, Inter-Parliamentary Association President Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, foreign diplomats, Sectors Commanders Forum, language veterans, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique and DU Teachers’ Association (DUTA), among others, placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar.

Besides, thousands of barefooted people from all walks of life placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar to pay tributes to the Language Movement martyrs.

They were singing the first four lines of the immortal song “Amar Bhayer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February....Ami Ki Bhulitey Paari” while scores of mikes were replaying the same spreading an emotional touch in and around the area.

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and private TV channels aired live the midnight Ekushey ceremony while cultural personalities added extra flavour by reciting poems on immortal Ekushey February.

In observance of the day in a befitting manner, the Central Shaheed Minar premises were tastefully redecorated with paintings, graffiti, buntings and selected verses on the mother language as the nation paid homage to the martyrs of the great Language Movement when clock struck one-minute past zero hours (midnight) last night.

Tight security was enforced around the main altar of the Shaheed Minar and the Azimpur graveyard of the language martyrs as streams of people were set to pour into these places to lay wreaths to express their heart-felt respect to the 1952 language martyrs.

Countries across the globe have been observing the day since then to promote linguistic diversity and multilingual education and raise awareness of cultural traditions based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.