No Recognition
The forgotten Language Movement hero
He was one of the Dhaka University (DU) students who joined the Great Language Movement in 1952 defying the section 144 to establish Bangla as one of the state languages of erstwhile Pakistan. He also hoisted the black flag for the first time on the DU campus.
Although almost seven decades have elapsed since then, Language Movement hero Mohammad Sultan is yet to get any national recognition. He was honoured locally but never awarded the coveted Ekushey Padak in the last 49 years since the country’s independence.
Born at Majhgram village of Boda upazila of Panchagarh district (then Dinajpur district) on December 24, 1926, Sultan was the fifth among children of police officer Shamsher Ali and his wife Gulzannessa. He passed away at Dhaka Medical College Hospital in 1983 at the age of 57.
He passed the entrance examination from Jessore Zilla School, received his graduation degree from Rajshahi College and completed his Master’s in political science from the DU in 1953.
Some of the roads in Dhanmondi area of the capital were named after the Language Movement heroes in 2007 to make sure that they are remembered every day. As part of it, Road-3 of the posh area was named after Mohammad Sultan.
But there is no initiative to recognise this language hero.
In 2013, Mohammad Sultan was honoured posthumously by the district administration. Then deputy commissioner Bonomali Bhowmik handed over the award to his two daughters -- Sushmita Sultana and Chandona Sultana.
Besides, Sultan Book Fair is being arranged every year in the district from 2012 following an initiative of the district administration.
Along with this, Boda-Mareya road has been named after the language hero but the announcement to install his mural is yet to be implemented.
4 years ago