"For international communication, we must have to learn other languages. We’ve to learn international communication medium, along with that we’ve to learn our mother tongue too," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said this while inaugurating a four-day programme at the International Mother Language Institute at Shegunbagicha on the occasion of the Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day 2021.

She joined the programme virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.

She said that a language is the identity of a person and that identity gives honour.

The Prime Minister mentioned that during the Pakistan regime there were several attempts on the Bangla language.

"At first, there was a move to write Bangla in Arabic letter, after that another move was to write Bangla in Latin letters. I don’t know what was the problem with Bangla words," she said.

Also read: Show respect to mother tongue, culture: Envoy

She mentioned that all moves were resisted through struggle. "And following the path of this struggle, we attained our independence," she said.

Sheikh Hasina briefly described the attachment of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu in the Language Movement.

She said that once upon a time when she tried to describe the role of the Father of the Nation in the Language Movement, at that time many people, including the learned persons, ridiculed her saying that how was Bangabandhu involved in Language Movement as he was in jail at that time.

"But why was he (Bangabandhu) sent to jail? It was for the initiating the movement to make Bangla as one of the state languages of Pakistan," she said.

She said that the Intelligence Branch of Pakistan, in their reports, had described all the movements of Bangabandhu for the Language Movement and those reports have been publishing gradually in the form of book.

Also read: Amar Ekushey: Nation paying tributes to language heroes

International Mother Language Award distributed

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Head of the Office and UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh Beatrice Kaldun and Education Secretary Mahbub Hossain spoke, among others, on the occasion.

Director General of Bangla Academy Habibullah Siraji presented the keynote speech.

At the outset of the programme, a minute’s silence was observed to show respect to the language martyrs.

The Prime Minister also distribute International Mother Language Award among three individuals and an international organisation for their contributions towards the practise or preservation of mother tongue.

This is the first iteration of the biennial award, which recognised four recipients – two national and two at the international level.

At the national level, the awardees are national Professor Rafiqul Islam and Mathura Bikash Tripura, executive director of Khagrachhari's Jabarang Kalyan Samiti.

Also read: Nation pays tributes to Language Movement martyrs

Internationally, the recipients are Uzbekistani researcher Islaimov Gulom Mirzaevich and The Activismo Lenguan, a Bolivia-based organisation.

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni handed over the awards among the recipients on behalf of the Prime Minister.

Sheikh Hasina expressed her heartfelt regret to the award recipients, especially to her teacher National Professor Rafiqul Islam, for not being able to hand over the awards personally at the programme.

"You all are aware that due to the COVID-19 pandemic my movement has been restricted for health issues of the related people with the movement as hundreds of people are needed to be engaged for my (as the Prime Minister) movement," she said.