Tributes to Pankaj Bhattacharya, veteran politician who died at the age of 83, have been paid for last time at the central Shaheed Minar at 5 pm on Tuesday. His dead body was taken to Shaheed Minar around 4 pm where politicians and activists from different political parties came to pay tribute. People from different walks of life including cultural personalities, politicians, academicians, activists and people from different districts were seen to pay floral tribute to the deceased Pankaj Bhattacharya. Information minister Hasan Mahmud, former Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, politician Dr. Kamal Hossen, Junaid Saqi, Rashed Khan Menon, DU vice Chancellor prof. Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman placed floral tributes among the prominent personalities. Besides hundreds of organisation leaders came to central Shaheed Minar to pay last homage to him. MP Hasan Mahmud said, "Pankaj Bhattacharya was the leader of poor and deprived people of the country. The main theme of his politics is the wellbeing of the people specially the poor people. If he wanted to earn money from politics, he could do it easily and he would have been provided with good posts." "Those who want to do politics from this generation, shall follow his ideal as he is a good example of a politician," he added. After paying floral tribute, DU VC prof. Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman said, "Pankaj Bhattacharya was a leader of mass people who sacrificed his life for the people. He had some extraordinary values, which attracted poor people and for this reason he himself turned into an organisation. " Read more: PM condoles death of Pankaj Bhattacharya "His contribution in the political ground of Bangladesh is unforgettable as he empowered democratic values and tightened the bond of friendship among the people and political organisations," he furthermore said. "His death is undoubtedly an unrecoverable loss in the political ground of Bangladesh," he added.  

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Thursday said BNP made false allegations over what happened while placing their floral wreath at Shaheed Minar along with anti-liberation forces and the persons who were against the language. He made this comment in response to questions from journalists over Mirza Fakhrul's complaint at the meeting room of his ministry at the Secretariat in the capital. Read more: Ansar al-Islam threatens to bomb Amar Ekushey Boi Mela "It is a false allegation. Last year, we placed wreaths after them (BNP) and it took over three and a half hours. And this year, we stood in silence for 30 seconds after paying tributes and then left. BNP started late when the Shaheed Minar was crowded. No one obstructed them," Hasan Mahmud said. In fact, "BNP doesn't have the spirit of Amar Ekushey or the Liberation War. They talk about 21st February and the spirit of the Liberation War but they do politics with the anti-liberation forces who tried to do so-called Islamization of the language by introducing Bengali writing in Arabic alphabet and banned Rabindranath's songs in East Bengal," he said. Read more: BNP pays homage to Language Movement martyrs Replying to another query over Begum Khaleda Zia, Hasan Mahmud said if any person is convicted for more than two years, he or she cannot take part in the election as per the law of the country. As she was sentenced for more than two years. So, there is no question of her participation in the election, he added. In addition, the government has given her conditional permission to stay home considering her health and age. As per the condition, she can not do politics, he added. Read more: Khaleda has no chance to do politics as convict: Quader Earlier, the minister unveiled covers of five books at the meeting room and congratulated the writers. The books are 'Bangabandhur Jiban and Shilpa Bhabna' written by Sowmithra Dev, 'Sheikh Hasina ekti Kaljoyee Upakkhyan' and 'Sheikh Rehana ek Dipto Shikha' written by Shamima Sultana, Swapno Loker Nadi and 'HIV-Aids Risk and 'Gender Relation: Women Sex Worker in Bangladesh' written by deputy secretary of the information ministry Dr Sheikh Muslima Moon.

A city Chattra League leader was injured at the Shaheed Minar allegedly by a central  BCL leader while paying homage to language heroes on Monday, witnesses said  The injured Ehsanul Haque Yasir is the former secretary of relief and disaster management of Dhaka city(south) BCL and accused Benzir Hossain Nishi is the  central joint-general secretary of central Chhatra League committee. Read: 8 hurt in BCL infighting in Ctg over offering flowers at Shaheed Minar Benazir has been accused of hurting Ehsanul while he was going to place flowers at the Central Shaheed Minar to pay homage to language martyrs. The incident took place in the early hours of Monday at the central Shaheed Minar.  However, Benazir Hossain Nishi has denied the allegation. Ehsanul Haque Yasir received first aid treatment at Dhaka medical college hospital.   Earlier in the morning, while placing wreaths on behalf of the hall branches of Dhaka University Chhatra League, a fight broke out among some members armed with bamboo sticks, witnesses said.   Read: DU student accuses a BCL activist of slapping him Chhatra League leaders and activists created chaos in front of the altar.  At that time the leaders and workers of Jagannath Hall and Shahidullah Hall were staying there.  At that time, they were seen running towards each other with bamboo sticks used for carrying banners.  Also on Monday Chhatra League leaders and activists clashed in front of the entrance of the altar of Shaheed Minar, according to witnesses.

The High Court (HC) on Sunday inquired about the steps taken to implement the court’s more than 10-year old directive to ensure the sanctity of the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital.

A route map for going to the Central Shaheed Minar on February 21 to pay respect to language martyrs has been finalised by Dhaka University's Central Coordination Committee.

This will be an Amar Ekushey unlike anything Bangladesh has seen. No more than five persons will be allowed to pay tributes to language martyrs on this Feb 21 under a single banner as the country fights to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

A teenage flower seller girl was found unconscious near Central Shaheed Minar on Saturday night.

A group of foreign students at Kolkata’s Jadavpur University, led by Bangladeshi students, observed the International Mother Language Day on the campus on Friday.

There is no Shaheed Minar in 90 percent educational institutions in three upazilas of the district, depriving the students of the opportunity to pay tributes to the heroes of Language Movement.

Nearly one-third educational institutions in the district do not have Shaheed Minars, depriving the students from paying respect to the Language Movement martyrs.   Among the educational institutions that have Shaheed Minars, the conditions of some are dilapidated.   According to Jashore District Education Office, there are 1,900 educational institutions. But 650 of these educational institutions – 77 in Sadar upazila, 55 in Bagharpara upazila, 86 in Abhaynagar, 84 in Jhikargachha, 50 in Chougachha, 138 in Manirampur, 61 in Sharsha and 80 in Keshabpur – lack Shaheed Minars.   Students at some of these institutions build makeshift Shaheed Minars to pay tribute to the bravehearts who laid down their lives to secure the Bangalis’ right to speak in their mother tongue in 1952.   “We can’t pay respect to the Language Movement martyrs on February 21 since there’s no Shaheed Minar at our school,” said Sumaiya Akter, a student of Dattapara Government Primary School in the Sadar Upazila.   Abdul Jabbar, the school’s headmaster, said it was true that they did not have a Shaheed Minar. “Having one is necessary,” he said. “We’re taking initiative to build one.”   Jabbar said they could not construct a Shaheed Minar as they did not get any fund from the government.   Sadar Upazila Education Officer Kamruzzaman Jahangir said 77 educational institutions in the Sadar upazila lack Shaheed Minars. “We’ve prepared a list of these institutions and sent it to the district education officer,” he said.   ASM Abdul Khalek, the district education officer, they are trying to manage government funds.   Additional Deputy Commissioner (education and ICT) Shammi Islam said many schools could not construct Shaheed Minars for the lack of space.   “Teachers and students from schools lacking Shaheed Minars pay respect at Shaheed Minars of nearby educational institutions,” she said. “We’ll take necessary steps to have Shaheed Minars constructed at all educational institutions.”