Members of the Bangladeshi community in Beijing on Sunday shared their emotional attachment to the International Mother Language Day and National Martyrs Day and reminisced how they attended the event in their early life.

Bangladesh Embassy in Beijing celebrated the day and in a befitting manner abiding by the local Covid-19 protocol.

This year, the Day bears special significance for Bangladesh as she celebrates the golden jubilee of independence and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Bangladesh Ambassador to China Mahbub Uz Zaman said that question of recognition and dignity of the Bengali language is the root from where Bangladesh’s national identity movement emerged, flourished through and culminated in nationhood.

He noted that Bangabandhu was at the core of this movement.

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He was the architect of the protest on February 21, 1952 and subsequent national movements for justice.

During his historic visit to China in 1952 and 1957, Bangabandhu opted to speak in Bengali, and during his first speech in the united nations in 1974, as the Prime Minister of independent Bangladesh, he spoke in Bangla, providing the guiding leadership for the successive generations, the Ambassador added.

He gave a detailed account of the origin of the Bangla language, the secular nature of the people of then Bengal, which is reflected in the medieval Bengali literature, the treasure of the language enriched by the contribution of brilliant poets and writers.

The Ambassador recalled that the attempt to suppress the innate spirit of the literature since 1948 united the pundits, writers and people of the country to stand against it for righteous recognition of the language; they finally won with the independence of the country.

This year the Beijing Mission installed a mini-Shaheed Minar in the newly-instituted Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall of the Embassy, where the Ambassador, the Embassy staffs, representatives from diplomatic Missions and the Chinese government, businessmen and investors from China, and Bangladesh Community members laid floral wreath.

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In the morning session, a procession was led by the Ambassador chanting the historic song “Amar Bhaier Rakte Rangano Ekushey February, Ami Ki Bholite Pari…” After reaching the minaret, the participants laid floral wreath at the altar.

The Shaheed Minar and the procession are a source of emotion for the people of Bangladesh.

Finding this first time in Beijing, the Bangladeshi community living there became highly emotional; some of them were even shedding tears while they were proceeding and laying the flowers on the altar of the minaret.

The programme of the day followed other events like flying the flag at half-mast, one-minute silence for the salvation of the departed souls of the martyrs, laying floral wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu, reading out of the messages from the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Foreign Affairs, a cultural event in the evening followed by dinner, and discussion on the Day.

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The cultural programme was colourful and elaborate, performed mostly by the Embassy officers and family members, all of whom were wearing traditional dresses associated with the Day.

The Ambassador thanked everyone, especially the diplomats and journalists, for attending the programme.