Staff Reporter: Expatriate Bangladeshis in the United States have paid their respects to the language martyrs at the temporary Shaheed Minar in front of the UN headquarters in keeping with the first dawn of Ekushey in Bangladesh. At 1:01 pm local time in New York on Saturday (February 20), Muktadhara Foundation and Bengali Chetna Mancha celebrated the great Ekushey and International Mother Language Day with 30 organizations carrying Bangladeshi and American flags. By the organizers.
The day began with the handing over of a wreath to 6-year-old Ananya Roy Priya, the youngest child to comply with New York City’s hygiene rules amid the horrific outbreak of Covid-19. The International Mother Language Day was celebrated with tributes from the Bangladesh Mission to the United Nations, Bangladesh Consulate in New York, various politicians, professionals, poets, writers, journalists, cultural and regional organizations. This marks the 30th anniversary of paying homage to the martyrs at the temporary Shaheed Minar in front of the UN headquarters organized by the Muktadhara Foundation and Bengali Chetna Mancha.
In the freezing cold of New York City covered in snow, Bangladeshi migrants from different places started gathering in front of the United Nations by 12 noon New York time. At this time, when everyone stood in a line and performed ‘Ekusher Gaan’ (Ekushey February painted in my brother’s blood, can I forget), the mournful atmosphere of immortal Ekushey was created.
At the event, the organizers thanked the Bengali media, social and cultural-regional organizations, poets, writers and literary figures of the United States, including New York, for making the Martyrs’ Day celebrations in front of the United Nations a success for the last 30 years.
The speakers said that Amar Ekushey is being celebrated in all parts of the world as International Mother Language Day. The role of expatriates in the recognition of ‘International Mother Language Day’ on 21st February was unforgettable. Everyone must work together to realize the dream of keeping the Bengali culture alive in exile by paying homage to the souls of the martyrs.
It is to be noted that in recognition of the Bengali language movement, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared 17 November 1999 21 February as the International Mother Language Day. Since then, the day has been celebrated all over the world with due dignity.
At 1.01 pm, after a minute of silence, the wreath-laying ceremony began at the Shaheed Minar. Minister and Head of Embassy Mohammad Noor Alam and First Secretary (Press) Md. Nur Elahi Mina on behalf of the Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Deputy Consul General on behalf of the Bangladesh Consulate General in New York, S.K. M Nazmul Hasan Shaheed, Awami League representatives led by Farashat Ali, Advisor to the United States Awami League, Advocate Abdul Rakib Montu, Member of the Central Committee of Bangladesh Awami Juba League and General Secretary of Bangladesh Athletic Federation, New York State Awami League led by Awami League Leader Shaheen Ajmal, Sakhawat Ali and Abdur Rahim Badsha on behalf of Bangali Chetna Manch and Biswajit Saha and Shubh Roy on behalf of Muktadhara Foundation, Awami Swechchhasebak League President Nuruzzaman Sardar, Jatiya Sramik League led by Joint Secretary Moizur Lashkar Jewel, Shitangsh Guha on behalf of Bangabandhu Parishad, Obaidullah Alpana Guha on behalf of Chetna Mancha, Anup Das Dance Academy, Gopal Sanyal, Founder of Suchitra Sen Memorial US, Gauri Prasanna Majumder, Swadhin Majumdar on behalf of Smaran Sangsad, Sergeant (Retd) Mostafa Ahmed on behalf of Raj Gauripur Sangsad, Poet Raushan Hasan, Swapan Debnath, Mukit Haider, Abdus Shahid etc. Besides Bangabandhu Foundation, United Chhatra League, United Jasad, Bangladesh Sports Foundation, Lagardia College Student Parliament, Abahani Sports Club, Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Parishad, Bangladesh Sports Club, Noakhali Samiti, Beanibazar Samiti, Sylhet University College, Greater Sylhet Ganadabi Parishad, Rajnagar Unnayan Parishad laid a wreath at Shaheed Minar. The program was conducted by Abdur Rahim Badsha, an official of Bangali Chetna Manch.
BP/SM
