BNP  on Sunday announced a two-day programme to observe the  Shaheed Day and International Mother Language Day with due respect on February 21. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programmes at a press conference after a joint meeting of the party’s different units at its Nayapaltan central office. Ekushey February will be observed simultaneously as Shaheed Dibash and International Mother Language Day on Tuesday in recognition of the Bengali nation’s supreme sacrifice to the cause of their mother tongue. In 1999, UNESCO declared the 21st of February as the International Mother Language Day. As part of the programmes, Fakhrul said their party will hold a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh on Monday, marking the day. He said they will keep their party and national flags at half-mast and hoist black flags at BNP Nayapaltan central office at 6 am on February 21. Also Read: BNP's movement to continue with all-district march on Feb 25 The leaders and activists of the party will also gather in front of Balaka Cinema Hall at Nilkhet at 6 :15am wearing black badges the same day under the leadership of the Fakhrul. Later, they will first offer fateha at the graves of Language Movement martyrs at Azimpur Graveyard and then go to the Central Shaheed Minar to pay tributes to the martyrs. Besides, BNP’s different units across the country will also observe the day with due respect through various programmes.  

Bangladesh is observing Martyred Intellectuals Day on Tuesday to commemorate the intellectuals killed by the Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators in 1971. In the morning, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid rich tributes to the martyred intellectuals. On behalf of the head of the state, his military secretary Major General S M Salah Uddin Islam placed a wreath at Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in Mirpur. Also read: PM pays homage to martyred intellectuals