Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury has said that Bangla should be made one of the official languages of the United Nations (UN).

Bengla is the sixth largest language in the world in terms of the number of native speakers. Bangla language movement activists have inspired language rights movements around the world, he said.

The minister said these while talking to reporters after paying tribute to the language martyrs at the Central Shaheed Minar on behalf of the ministry marking ‘Language Day’ and ‘International Mother Language Day’, said a media release signed by the ministry’s Senior Information Officer Dipankar Bar.

The sacrifices and sacrifices of the language martyrs are invaluable to the world, he said, adding that Bangladesh is now an independent and democratic country, standing tall in the world, inspired by their sacrifices.

Minister Saber said that the language martyrs did not only establish Bangla as one of the state languages, but also made an invaluable contribution to the establishment of the national identity and dignity.

Read: DCAB pays respect to language martyrs

Recalling contribution of the language movement heroes, he said they have strengthened the unity and solidarity of the Bengali nation and sown the seeds of love and respect for the mother tongue.

''We must be respectful of Bangla language and culture to show respect for them. The mother tongue should be promoted at all levels,’’ he said taking on his ministerial side urged all to work for environmental protection by remembering the memory of the language martyrs.

Read more: Nation honours Language Movement martyrs on Amar Ekushey

Secretary to the ministry Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Additional Secretary (Administration) Iqbal Abdullah Harun, Additional Secretary (Environment) Dr. Fahmida Khanom, Chairman of Forest Industries Development Corporation Md. Nasir Uddin Ahmed, Chief Conservator of Forests of Forest Department Md. Amir Hossain Chowdhury and Additional Director General of Department of Environment Kazi Abu Taher were present along with the senior officials of the Ministry and its subordinate departments on the occasion of the Shaheed Day.

Earlier in the morning, minister Saber paid tribute to the language martyrs along with the teachers and students of Khilgaon Girls School and College.